SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
First, a royal wedding. Then tabloid frenzy. Then a self-imposed exile in California and a tell-all memoir and, oh, that Oprah interview. It has been a tumultuous few years for Prince Harry and Meghan. Now, the duke and duchess of Sussex are moving back to the United Kingdom. NPR's Lauren Frayer is at our bureau in London to tell us more. Hi, Lauren.
LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE: Hi there.
PFEIFFER: It was - what? - six years ago that Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California. Why the change of plans?
FRAYER: Well, an official familiar with their plans tells me they're moving this month. They've enrolled their kids in school here. But no word on why. They did visit on vacation in July - had a private visit with Harry's father, King Charles, who is 77 and undergoing cancer treatment. It was the first time the king had seen his grandchildren in person in more than four years. Now, this official told me that the idea of a move did not come up during that visit. The king was notified of these plans just this past Sunday but says he welcomes the move. The official spoke on condition of anonymity 'cause they aren't authorized to speak about Harry and Meghan, who are still known as the duke and duchess of Sussex, as you mentioned.
PFEIFFER: Will Harry and Meghan resume royal duties?
FRAYER: No. They'll remain nonworking royals. They'll live in a nonroyal residence outside of London - unclear where. Also unclear is what they'll do professionally. You know, they have this partnership with Netflix. Meghan has a lifestyle and cooking brand. Harry does philanthropy. He runs the Invictus Games for wounded veterans. He also works at a mental-health and coaching startup.
PFEIFFER: What about their security? Will arrangements have to be made for that?
FRAYER: Yeah. This has been a big issue. Harry has accused the palace and the British government of basically blocking his ability to live here by denying him publicly funded bodyguards. He sued over that and lost. And he told the BBC last year he can't see a world in which he'd bring his wife and children back to the U.K. to live because he fears for all of their safety. So it's really unclear what's changed. I mean, Harry and Meghan paid for their own security in the U.S. - unclear whether they'll bring those bodyguards across the pond or pay for private bodyguards here or whether the palace or state might contribute, which may not be popular with British taxpayers.
PFEIFFER: Lauren, do we know if this is a family reconciliation?
FRAYER: I mean, it is certainly an about-face. Harry had this very public falling out with his family. In his memoir, "Spare," he called his brother Prince William his arch-nemesis. There's no word from Will and Kate on what they think of this move. In that Oprah interview you mentioned, you know, Harry and Meghan accuse the royals of racism, of damaging their mental health. Harry's long blamed the British media for chasing his mother, Diana, and contributing to her death. He's sued the tabloids here for hacking his phone. You know, the U.K. media's still here. Those rifts with his family are still here. So let's just say there may be some interesting extended family dinners at the palace this fall.
PFEIFFER: That's NPR's Lauren Frayer in London. Thank you.
FRAYER: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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