'Coming Home?': Madame Tussauds Trolls Harry and Meghan With Suitcases Ahead of UK Return

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly moving their family back to Britain for an extended stay, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, expected to start school in the UK next month. Madame Tussauds London has already given their wax figures suitcases to 'welcome' them back, marking the development with a tongue-in-cheek display at its Baker Street attraction.

The Sun reported on 19 August that Harry and Meghan are moving their family back to Britain for a prolonged period, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, expected to start school in the UK in September. The couple will reportedly base themselves in a non-royal residence while keeping their Montecito, California home and US businesses.

Madame Tussauds Marks Return With Tongue-In-Cheek Display

Madame Tussauds London posted fresh images of its Harry and Meghan wax figures standing beside stacked suitcases and a Royal Guard model, writing on social media: 'Did someone say they're coming home?' The museum said staff had given the figures 'a very British welcome' inside the Baker Street attraction to mark the 'surprise news' of the Sussexes' UK return.

The attraction invited visitors to see the display 'before the Sussexes arrive on UK shores later this month.' It is not the first time the museum has used the royal story as material, with the Meghan figure having been unveiled ahead of the couple's Windsor wedding in May 2018.

When Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020, the museum removed their likenesses from the main royal line-up. The attraction posted an image of the gap between figures of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince William and Kate with the caption: 'We've got to respect their wishes #Megxit.'

The latest display has drawn a mixed reaction online, with some commenters calling it 'an excellent move' and others dismissing the couple as 'grifters'. US broadcaster Meghan McCain branded them 'D-list royals' as the debate over the couple's status continues to generate strong opinions on both sides of the Atlantic.

Palace Briefings Reassert Non-Working Status as UK Return Reports Surface

Royal sources say King Charles was formally informed of the move on 16 August and 'welcomes the opportunity' to see more of his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren in a private capacity. The same briefings stress that nothing has changed about the couple's status, who remain private individuals and non-working members of the royal family under the arrangement reached with the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2020.

Palace guidance continues to rule out any 'half-in, half-out' role, with officials keen to prevent any ambiguity about the Sussexes' position. The briefings represent a coordinated effort to manage the narrative around the return, reinforcing that the couple's standing remains unchanged despite their physical relocation.

Separately, The Sun reported on 21 August that Meghan is being considered for a role in Guy Ritchie's Netflix drama The Gentlemen, whose second season is due to premiere on 3 September. A source suggested a third season may be announced, though these reports should be treated as unconfirmed speculation at this stage.

Harry is expected to continue his charitable work while in Britain, including preparations for the Invictus Games in Birmingham in July 2027. Their production company Archewell Productions, Meghan's lifestyle brand and their Archewell Philanthropies foundation will remain based in the United States, ensuring the couple maintains their commercial presence in America.

The staged photographs at Madame Tussauds reflect a wider question raised by the reports of the move: whether the Sussexes' return marks a genuine homecoming or another temporary stay tied to work commitments. As the palace continues to assert the couple's non-working status, the scrutiny of their position and the management of the narrative by royal officials is unlikely to fade.