Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left the Royal Family four years ago, relocating to Montecito, California.
Prince Harry has opened up about their decision to move to America, revealing that he and Meghan Markle left the UK "in fear for their sanity."
The couple stepped down from their royal duties in 2020 and began a new life in California. Since then, they have shared insights into their challenging experiences within the royal institution.
In his debut memoir, "Spare," the Duke of Sussex discussed their move to America and detailed their reasons for leaving. He recounted a visit to Frogmore Cottage, highlighting the factors that influenced their decision.
"How beautiful it all is, I thought. And also how sad," he wrote. "Once upon a time, this was going to be my forever home. Instead, it had proved to be just another brief stop." Harry had returned to Frogmore Cottage after Prince Philip's funeral.
He added, "When my wife and I fled this place, in fear for our sanity and physical safety, I wasn’t sure when I'd ever come back. That was January 2020. Now, fifteen months later, here I was, days after waking to thirty-two missed calls and then one short, heart-racing talk with Granny: Harry... Grandpa's gone."
Harry has since made several return visits to the UK, most recently traveling to London for engagements related to the Invictus Games.
However, Meghan has rarely joined him. The Duchess of Sussex has made very few return trips to the UK since stepping down from royal duties. Her last visit was in 2022 for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, when the Sussexes brought their two children—Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet—for the special occasion.
Author Omid Scobie, in his book "Endgame," wrote about Meghan's decision not to return to the UK. He claimed she "never wants to set foot again in England," avoiding what she described as the "soap opera of the court."
