Britons divided over Harry and Meghan’s UK return
One-third of the British public opposes the return of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, to the United Kingdom, while most people remain undecided about the unexpected move as the nation reacts to the shocking news of the couple’s decision to return to Britain, DPA reports, citing a YouGov poll conducted Thursday among 5,810 adults.
According to the survey, 33% of Britons believe King Charles III’s younger son and the former Suits star should not return, while 45% say they have no opinion on the matter, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
Less than a quarter (21%) support the Sussexes moving back from the United States.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to California more than six years ago amid the crisis dubbed “Megxit,” which was followed by ongoing family tensions and a series of allegations involving Prince William and Princess Kate of Wales, as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla.
However, Harry and Meghan are now expected to return at the end of this month to live in a non-royal residence outside London, after already enrolling Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to discuss Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements in Britain, saying their funding was a “private matter” and that “we wish them well in the things they do.”
Questions remain unanswered over whether taxpayers will foot the bill for their security and the exact reason behind the couple’s decision, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not yet commented publicly, DPA notes.
The couple’s plans came as a surprise to many on Wednesday evening, with even the King reportedly learning about them only three days before they were made public.
The YouGov poll found that older generations were more likely to say the couple should not return — 47% of those aged over 65 believe the Sussexes should not come back, compared with 24% of those aged 18 to 24.
There has been speculation over where Harry and Meghan will choose to settle, with suggestions including rural locations in the Cotswolds, Oxfordshire or Gloucestershire, amid speculation about the schools they have chosen for their children.
Harry has been involved in a lengthy legal battle with the Home Office over security arrangements for himself and his family in Britain after his level of protection changed when he stepped down as a working member of the Royal Family in 2020.
At the end of June, he was still awaiting a review by the Risk Management Board, part of the process through which the Executive Committee for the Protection of the Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requests. He and his security team were also working to ensure that his visit in July could take place safely.
Individual security decisions concerning key public figures, including members of the Royal Family, are made by Ravec, which includes the Home Office, the Metropolitan Police and the Royal Household.
Archie and Lilibet are expected to start their new schools in early September.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have not publicly reacted to the news, but former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt suggested that William could be “apoplectic.”
Prince William, the future king, has become estranged from his brother following Harry’s controversial claims about the Royal Family during the “Megxit” period.
In his controversial memoir Spare, Harry claimed that William physically attacked him during an argument about Meghan and that his brother and Kate encouraged him to wear a Nazi uniform to a costume party in 2005 and “burst out” laughing when they saw it.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also claimed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that an unnamed member of the Royal Family made a racist remark about the skin color of their son before he was born.
The Sussexes are keeping their homes in Montecito, California, and Portugal, while the Duchess will continue running her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from their new base in Britain.
Photo: Wikipedia
