Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet landed at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday, August 26, returning to Britain following their life in California.
The family departed from Montecito, their residence and business base in Santa Barbara County, aboard a luxury private jet that can cost up to 230,000 euros for a transatlantic journey.
Aircraft specifications and flight costs
According to report details published by The Telegraph, the private aircraft carrying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has a passenger capacity of up to 13 people. The onboard seating can be converted into single or double beds, allowing passengers to sleep during long flights across the Atlantic.
The interior features luxury leather seats, a sofa, and two large bathrooms stocked with branded personal care products. The aircraft also provides substantial cargo space, accommodating up to 15 suitcases in its luggage hold.
Chartering a private aircraft for the route from Los Angeles to Britain typically costs between 150,000 and 200,000 pounds, which corresponds to approximately 173,000 to 231,000 euros. The final cost varies depending on the specific aircraft model and the inflight services selected.
The generous luggage capacity is of particular interest as the family prepares to settle into a new home in Britain, although the exact contents of their luggage have not been disclosed.
The flight landed in Birmingham, a major transportation hub in the English West Midlands, bringing the family back to the UK from their California enclave of Montecito, a wealthy coastal area known for celebrity homes.
Previous private jet journeys
This arrival does not mark the first time Prince Harry and Meghan have opted for private air travel when relocating across the Atlantic. The couple also chose a private jet when they initially departed Britain in 2020 following their step back from official royal duties.
Details of that 2020 flight were later disclosed in the 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, which chronicled their departure. That aircraft accommodated the family dogs, while Harry, Meghan, and her mother, Doria Ragland, traveled in separate private compartments on board.
The couple used a private aircraft again in 2022 to return to London for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, which celebrated the late monarch's 70 years on the throne. That milestone trip represented the first time Archie and Lilibet had made such a long journey to England.
Cotswolds residence and Althorp option
The touch-down in Birmingham has raised interest regarding where the family will take up residence. Reports indicate that Prince Harry and Meghan are heading toward a private property in the Cotswolds region, located outside London.
The Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in south-central England, is renowned for its historic stone villages and is a long-standing residence of choice for prominent figures in business and entertainment. Former footballer David Beckham and fashion designer Victoria Beckham are among the notable figures residing in the area, according to reports.
Another potential location under discussion is Althorp in Northamptonshire, the ancestral home of Earl Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana and Harry's uncle. Prince Harry and Meghan previously spent time at Althorp earlier in the summer.
Whichever property has been chosen by the Sussexes, reports state that it is a private real estate property and does not belong to the British royal family.
Private status and royal duties
The relocation to Great Britain does not indicate a return to official duties within the monarchy for Prince Harry and Meghan. The couple will continue living as private individuals without assuming any institutional roles as working members of the royal family.
However, their new daily routine in Britain is expected to differ significantly from their life in the United States, given their physical proximity to the British royal family and the UK media.
School enrollment for Archie and Lilibet
A central factor making the return to Britain expected is the education of the couple's two children. Seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet have been enrolled in a British school and are set to begin the new academic year in September.
The specific school selected by the parents has not been made public, and its location is being kept confidential for security reasons, though it is reported to be within a short distance of the family's new residence.
Archie, aged seven, will enter third grade, while five-year-old Lilibet will begin first grade. Reports indicate that the institution is a mixed-gender day school rather than a boarding school.
This choice mirrors Lambrook School, the Berkshire preparatory day school attended by their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Prince George is set to move on from preparatory school to Eton College for the upcoming school year.
