Prince Harry isn’t heading into his latest courtroom battle alone

Prince Harry is expected to touch down in London later this month but once again, he’ll be travelling alone.

Meghan Markle will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, continuing a pattern that has quietly defined the Sussexes’ relationship with the UK over the past three years.

The Duchess has not returned to Britain since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022, while the children’s last visit came months earlier during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Since stepping back from royal duties, Harry has made multiple solo appearances on British soil from courtrooms to commemorative events but his family has stayed firmly stateside.

The arrangement has fuelled ongoing speculation about security concerns, strained royal relations and Meghan’s reluctance to re-enter the UK spotlight.

The timing of Harry’s expected return is far from social. The Duke of Sussex is preparing for a High Court showdown in his long-running legal battle against Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline.

Notably absent from any reunion narrative are Archie and Lilibet. King Charles has met his granddaughter just once, when Lilibet was six months old, during the Sussexes’ brief UK visit in 2022.

Since then, milestones have passed an ocean away, with birthdays celebrated privately in the US and royal family contact reportedly limited.