Why Prince Harry reportedly wants Archie and Lilibet to attend school in Britain

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing for a major change in family life, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet expected to begin school in the UK in September.

The children, aged seven and five respectively, have already been enrolled at British schools, according to reports. Their parents are also preparing to spend an extended period in Britain, although they are not returning as working members of the Royal Family. The family is expected to live in a private, non-royal residence outside London.

While the exact schools have not been publicly identified, the decision has prompted considerable discussion about why Harry and Meghan have chosen Britain for their children’s education after more than six years in California.

One commentator believes the answer may have less to do with royal tradition and more to do with giving Archie and Lilibet a more ordinary childhood.

Samara Gill says the children could be treated more normally in Britain

TalkTV host and commentator Samara Gill suggested that Archie and Lilibet could benefit from moving away from the celebrity culture surrounding their life in Montecito.

Discussing what the children’s return to Britain could mean, Gill argued that the way Meghan has presented her life in Hollywood could have an undesirable influence on the children.

Her view is that a British school environment could give Archie and Lilibet a greater sense of normality because they would not necessarily receive the same level of special treatment associated with celebrity children in California.

Gill claimed that schools around Montecito can place considerable attention on children from high-profile families, suggesting that Archie and Lilibet might otherwise have been treated as particularly important pupils.

She also suggested that Harry may recognise this and could therefore see British schooling as a better option for his children.

That interpretation remains Gill’s opinion rather than a confirmed explanation from Harry or Meghan. The Sussexes have not publicly stated that avoiding preferential treatment is the reason they selected British schools.

A chance for Archie and Lilibet to reconnect with their family

Gill also pointed to another potential benefit of the move: giving Archie and Lilibet more opportunities to spend time with their relatives in Britain.

She described the children’s return as an ideal opportunity for them to reconnect with their grandfather, King Charles III, as well as potentially with their royal cousins.

Archie and Lilibet have spent most of their lives in California. Archie was born in Britain in 2019, while Lilibet was born in California in 2021 after Harry and Meghan had stepped back from royal duties and moved to the United States.

The children have made only limited visits to Britain since then. Their return for school will therefore give them a much closer connection to the country where their father was born and raised.

Gill suggested that the children had effectively been kept at a distance from their British relatives while living in Montecito. She believes the move could now give them greater access to what she described as their “wonderful” family in Britain.

Reports about the Sussexes’ return indicate that King Charles is understood to welcome the opportunity to spend more private time with his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

Archie and Lilibet will start school in September

The children’s British education was revealed last week, alongside reports that Harry and Meghan intend to return to the UK later this month.

According to the Associated Press, Archie and Lilibet have already been enrolled at British schools and are due to begin classes in September. The schools have not been publicly named.

The decision has also raised questions about how much of the children’s lives will be made public.

Unlike working members of the Royal Family, Harry and Meghan are not expected to release official photographs of Archie and Lilibet to mark the start of their school year or their birthdays. They remain private, non-working members of the Royal Family, and there are currently no plans for them to resume official royal duties.

The education choice is therefore taking place within a wider change in the Sussex family’s circumstances rather than as part of a return to royal life.

The Sussexes are returning after six years in California

Harry and Meghan left Britain for North America more than six years ago, following the turbulent period that became known as “Megxit.”

They eventually settled in Montecito, California, where Archie and Lilibet have grown up. Their departure was followed by continuing tensions within the Royal Family and a series of public disputes involving Prince William, Catherine, King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Harry’s return to Britain with his immediate family now represents a significant change, although the couple are not moving back into a royal residence.

The family is expected to stay at a private property outside London while retaining their home in Montecito and their property in Portugal. The current plan is for their British stay to be extended, but not permanent.

That distinction is important. The move gives Archie and Lilibet a British education and greater proximity to their relatives, but it does not mean Harry and Meghan are resuming their former positions within the monarchy.

Questions remain over where the children will study

The Sussexes have not publicly confirmed the names of Archie and Lilibet’s new schools, leaving considerable speculation over their education.

What is known is that the children have secured places at British schools and are expected to start in September. The choice has been described as a significant endorsement of British education, although reports indicate they are unlikely to attend a local state school.

For Harry and Meghan, the decision could ultimately serve several purposes at once: providing their children with an education in their father’s home country, bringing them closer to members of the Royal Family and giving them a different environment from the one they have known in California.

For now, however, the suggestion that Harry specifically wants Archie and Lilibet in Britain so they can be treated more like ordinary children comes from Samara Gill rather than from the Sussexes themselves.

What is confirmed is that the children will begin their British schooling in September, while Harry and Meghan return to the UK as private individuals and remain outside the working Royal Family.