Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the United Kingdom for a trip that had been the subject of intense speculation for weeks. Rumors swirled about whether their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, would accompany them and if a full family reunion with King Charles III and Queen Camilla would finally take place. The Sussexes confirmed their visit through a series of photographs shared on Instagram on July 23, captioned “Summer Holiday,” offering the public a rare look at their time in the country.
One image posted by the Duchess of Sussex shows Harry, seven-year-old Archie, and five-year-old Lilibet walking down a tree-lined path at Althorp estate. The estate is the ancestral home of the Spencer family and the childhood residence of Princess Diana. The Sussex family stayed at the Northamptonshire estate, one of England’s most well-known stately homes.
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Harry and Meghan were seen carrying large bouquets, which suggests they visited the island within the estate’s Oval Lake where Diana is buried. A Doric-style temple marks the resting place, inscribed with her name. It is unclear if they visited Diana’s grave during this specific trip, though Harry wrote in his memoir Spare about bringing Meghan to Althorp on the 25th anniversary of his mother’s death. He described the moment as bringing “the girl of my dreams home to meet mum.”
The estate closed to visitors on July 10 and 11, which led to assumptions about the Sussexes’ presence. This marked Meghan Markle’s first visit to the UK in over four years. While she had visited before, this trip was her first since permanently moving to Montecito in 2020. The family also shared photos from their time in Portugal, including pictures of Meghan and Harry at dinner, Archie in a plane cockpit, and Harry tossing Lilibet into a pool.
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Family Reunion and Public Engagements
The visit included a reunion with King Charles and Queen Camilla, who had not seen their grandchildren since 2022. Reports indicated the family had been expected to stay in a royal residence, but communication issues between the palace and the Sussexes’ team reportedly collapsed that plan. Security concerns also played a role; it was confirmed that Meghan and the children would not receive state-funded security, causing delays in their full arrival.
Harry took part in several charitable events and promoted the Invictus Games, which are set to be held in Birmingham next year. The results of his court case against Associated Newspapers dropped shortly after his arrival. In the weeks following the family trip, Harry attended public engagements without Meghan, including the Time100 Sports Gala and an appearance on After Hours with James Corden following the 2026 World Cup finals.
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