Prince Harry Reportedly Wants to Purchase Property in the U.K. in an Effort to Introduce His Kids to Their British Roots

Though, admittedly, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle no longer spend much time in Harry’s home country of the U.K., it seems that Harry is interested in still having a home base there after moving out of Frogmore Cottage earlier this year. (Frogmore was a wedding present from Harry’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and he and Meghan lived there until they relocated to the U.S. in 2020. After their move, they continued to use it as their U.K. home base until the early part of the summer.)

After relinquishing Frogmore, Harry has returned to the U.K. a few times, and it’s understandable how it would be nice to have a permanent place to land there while in country, even though his visits are more or less infrequent.

OK reports that lately, when Harry visits, he either stays at hotels or with friends. But that can get exhausting, and the outlet reports that Harry wants his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to grow up understanding their British roots, which, as the kids get a bit older, could include more visits to the U.K., increasing the importance of a permanent place to lay their heads at night.

“They will soon start looking for a property of their own near London, and Harry is very much leading this,” said a source who is a friend of the couple. “Making use of a small apartment in Kensington Palace from time to time isn’t out of the question, but when it comes to a home in the U.K., they will purchase that themselves.”

As a nod to the ongoing familial rifts between Harry and the rest of the royal family (save for cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice), Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell said that, though Harry might visit his home country for personal projects, he isn’t included in intimate family gatherings anymore: “Harry is no longer invited to family functions,” Burrell said. “He’s no longer invited into their fold. Now he’s no longer royal in their eyes—he’s a celebrity. He’s hurt them. He’s hurt his father, his brother, his sister-in-law, and his stepmother.”

The Daily Express reports that Harry wants his family of four to spend more time in Britain, and this is driving his desire to purchase property. Meghan might not visit as much, but royal expert Duncan Larcombe said “Harry’s got more reason to come back to the U.K. than Meghan, so I think we would see these trips, especially if he’s involved with things like the Invictus Games, where most of the people who work for that are in London.”

Beyond professional and charitable interests, his two kids are the ultimate push to have a place to call home, Larcombe said. “If they don’t have a base here, Harry’s children are going to grow up not knowing their cousins, uncles or aunts, or any of their family,” he said. “They’re growing up fast, and his father isn’t getting any younger. I think he would want to do this before it’s too late.”