Meghan Markle is said to be considering reviving her plans for British citizenship following her and Prince Harry's reported relocation back to the UK — a development that has simultaneously sent shockwaves through Buckingham Palace, with insiders warning the couple are on a direct "collision course" with the Royal Family.
Citizenship Back on the Table
The Duchess of Sussex, 45, had originally been expected to pursue naturalisation after marrying Prince Harry, 42, in 2018, with Kensington Palace at the time insisting she would follow the "usual" process without special treatment. That plan was derailed when the couple stepped back from senior royal duties and relocated to California in 2020 — but sources now suggest their physical return to Britain has brought the question firmly back into focus.
"British citizenship was something Meghan genuinely expected to pursue when she married Harry. At that point she believed Britain would be her permanent home, so becoming a citizen was a natural part of building her life here. Everything changed with Megxit."
A source told Radar Online that once the Sussexes established themselves in America, there was little practical reason to continue down that road — but that returning to Britain "changes the equation again." The couple, however, remain firmly outside the working royal fold despite their move.
Palace Braced for What Comes Next
The citizenship speculation arrives at precisely the moment the Palace is said to be in quiet turmoil over how to handle the Sussexes' next steps. According to sources, Harry and Meghan have told friends they have no intention of becoming "private citizens" — a stance that sits in direct conflict with the terms set out following the so-called Sandringham Summit of 2020, when the late Queen made clear that Harry had to choose between life as a full-time working royal or as a private individual.
That tension was reignited after King Charles reportedly sent an unprecedented letter through the Lord Chamberlain — one of the Palace's most senior officials — reiterating that the Sussexes cannot be "half in, half out" members of the Royal Family and that they remain private citizens unable to use the titles His and Her Royal Highness. Reports suggest the letter blindsided Harry and Meghan, with Harry's spokesperson pushing back against its characterisation.
"Even stepping out on the same day as Kate and William at a separate event will cause a headache for those behind the scenes at the Palace."
Concern is reportedly growing not so much about a headline-grabbing Oprah-style sit-down interview — widely considered unlikely — but rather the more subtle risk of the Sussexes overshadowing the working royals' campaigns simply by being present and visible. Harry has already taken part in a public engagement in London since his return, and has confirmed appearances alongside Bill and Hillary Clinton at their annual Global Initiative meeting in New York, as well as the WellChild Awards — for which he is a long-time patron — and the Invictus Spirit Awards.
Christmas Headache and the Montecito Chapter
Behind closed doors, Palace officials are also said to be wrestling with the question of Christmas — whether the King will invite the Sussexes to join the wider family, potentially creating friction with the Prince and Princess of Wales, or decline to do so and risk a fierce backlash from supporters of Harry and Meghan.
Meanwhile, as the Sussexes settle into life on British soil, their years in the exclusive Californian enclave of Montecito have attracted fresh scrutiny. Multiple locals have offered less than flattering recollections of the couple's time in the coastal community. A waitress at the town's Honor Bar alleged that Harry and Meghan visited the establishment once shortly after their arrival in 2020, became frustrated when asked to join a waiting list like any other customer, and left without being seated — subsequently sending a member of staff to collect a takeaway order. The bar declined to comment on the allegation.
Local finance professional Ciara Curtis, 52, also alleged that a neighbour's goodwill gesture — a bottle of regional wine left with a handwritten note via the couple's security personnel — was returned unopened the following morning. "The thoughtless act of brushing aside a small act of kindness set the tone for how they behaved and how they were perceived after that," she said.
With Meghan's Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan nominated in the Outstanding Lifestyle Series category at the Daytime Emmy Awards on 30th October, a brief return trip to Los Angeles may be unavoidable — though sources suggest she could potentially attend virtually given that the couple's children have recently started at a new school in England.
For now, the Palace watches and waits — and by all accounts, it will not have to wait long.
