Prince Harry calls family's first weeks back in Britain 'eventful' at Invictus fundraiser

Six years after leaving Britain, Prince Harry made his first public appearance since moving back — and his verdict on the homecoming was characteristically understated: 'eventful.'

Speaking to HELLO! magazine at the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards, held at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, Harry offered his first comments since he, Meghan Markle, and their children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, arrived in the U.K. on August 26. The black-tie fundraiser — which raised approximately £1.7 million for the Invictus Games Foundation, alongside a personal £10,000 donation Harry made himself — marked the Duke's re-entry into British public life.

The last two weeks have been eventful, Harry told HELLO!, but the family is getting stuck into the work, the kids are in school and they are happy. He added that it was great to be back on British soil and that he was looking forward to the Invictus Games in Birmingham next year.

Solo for the evening, Harry wore black tie and the medals he earned during his years as a working royal. Meghan stayed at the couple's private, non-royal residence outside London with the children. When asked to name a personal highlight from his first fortnight back, Harry deflected with a joke rather than a direct answer — 'Would I dare share it with you?' — keeping the tone light throughout the evening.

The event itself clearly moved him. The awards ceremony drew around 340 guests, including Invictus competitors from across the world, and high-profile supporters including James Corden. Among those who contributed auction items were Michael Bublé, Elton John, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and Ed Sheeran, Sunday Guardian Live reported.

It's meant everything. It's been many weeks, many months and years in the making. So to have a room full of, what, 340 people, and Invictus competitors from all around the world and their families, from every time zone that the world has to offer… we did it. We got to tell some incredible stories and celebrate some amazing heroes.— Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

It was Harry who established the Invictus Games in 2014, creating the competition to serve servicemen and women who had been wounded, injured or fallen ill. The next edition is due in Birmingham in 2027 — the first time the Games will return to British soil since that inaugural London event — and Harry described it as an occasion he was 'looking forward to.'

The transition has not been entirely smooth. Sunday Guardian Live reported that Archie and Lilibet were pulled from their first U.K. school after only two days because the family's security team had raised concerns about the logistics of the school run. There are also indications that the Sussexes will be given a formal risk assessment of their security arrangements now that they have returned permanently.

As for where they are living, the family is said to be settled 'indefinitely' in a spare room at a friend's Cotswolds mansion while they look for somewhere permanent. Several sources told realtor.com that the couple has been eyeing a property valued at approximately $16.2 million, though no deal has been made. Harry's reported priority is seclusion — he is said to want 'a lot, and I mean a lot, of land, and no footpaths going across it' — while Meghan is said to have her sights set on nine bedrooms to match their Montecito estate, as well as a filming studio in anticipation of a possible return to acting.

The couple has not entirely closed the door on California. The family plans to make 'regular' return trips to visit Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, who is remaining in the U.S., according to People. 'Meghan plans to see her mom regularly. They're incredibly close,' a source close to the couple told the outlet. Their Montecito mansion — purchased for $14.65 million in 2020 — is not being sold.

They've been planning this for some time, and they feel it's the right thing for their family, but that doesn't mean leaving was easy. Meghan really loves their life in Montecito and their home there. They know it's going to take a little bit of time for everyone to settle in and adjust. There's excitement about what's ahead too, especially for the kids.— Source close to the couple

One motivation for the move, according to an insider cited by realtor.com, is Harry's desire for his children to understand his own roots: he 'wants them to understand the world he grew up in and where their family comes from.' Meghan, the source added, 'feels very fortunate that they're able to give Archie and Lilibet the opportunity to experience both worlds.'

Harry's appearance coincided with King Charles delivering a speech on artificial intelligence at a conference in Scotland — a detail Sunday Guardian Live noted as evidence that father and son continue to move largely in separate public spheres despite now living in geographic proximity. When a reporter tried to draw Harry into a discussion of his uncle Earl Spencer's forthcoming memoir about Princess Diana, which had begun circulating publicly that week, Harry chose not to engage and kept his attention on the fundraiser.

King Charles was reportedly informed of the couple's relocation plans on August 16 and is said to be pleased at the prospect of seeing more of the Sussex family in a private capacity — though realtor.com notes the matter was not discussed during a recent meeting between Harry and the king, according to the New York Times.

With the Birmingham Invictus Games on the horizon for 2027 and a permanent home still to be secured, the Sussexes' British chapter is very much in its opening pages.

Why it matters — Harry's first public words since the move signal how the Sussexes intend to rebuild their public and private lives in Britain — focused on charitable work and family rather than royal reconciliation — while key questions about their permanent home and security arrangements remain unresolved.

Reported by realtor.com, people.com, sundayguardianlive.com, gbnews.com