It’s Team Sussex vs Team Wales: The arrival of Harry and Meghan will see England’s smart set divide into two royal courts… and this is exactly which side everyone from Princess Eugenie to the Beckhams will pick
The Daily Mail reports that Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are preparing to return to live in the UK after six years based in Montecito, California, prompting speculation about which figures in British high society will align with "Team Sussex" versus the rival court of the Prince and Princess of Wales. The piece explores how the couple's return could reshape social alliances among aristocrats, celebrities and royal-adjacent figures who once formed Harry's inner circle before his 2020 departure from royal duties.
Among those tipped to welcome the Sussexes back are Harry's childhood friend Arthur Landon, heir to the Faccombe estate, who is expected to host them at his annual "village fete" on 31 August, alongside guests including film-maker Guy Ritchie – reportedly poised to cast Meghan in his Netflix series The Gentlemen – and singer James Blunt, with whom the Sussexes have previously stayed in Ibiza. Other potential allies include Cotswolds landowner Nicholas Johnston of the Cornbury Festival, and Mark "Marko" Dyer, a former equerry to King Charles who acted as a father figure to Harry and Prince William after Princess Diana's death, and whose American wife has reportedly reached out to Meghan.
- Harry and Meghan reportedly planning permanent return to the UK
- Report speculates on which society figures will back "Team Sussex"
- Old friends Arthur Landon, James Blunt and Guy Ritchie tipped as allies
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Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and have since been based in Montecito, California. Reports now suggest they are planning to move back to live in the UK, which has sparked speculation in British society and media about how their return might affect friendships and social circles among the aristocracy, celebrities and royal-adjacent figures.
The story frames this as a potential split between two informal social "camps": one loosely built around Harry and Meghan, and another around the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate. These are not official royal institutions but networks of friends, aristocrats and public figures who have personal ties to one couple or the other, some dating back to before Harry's departure from official royal life.
Names mentioned include long-standing friends of Harry's from his pre-Meghan social circle, as well as celebrities and landowners who host high-profile gatherings in Britain. The piece is speculative, exploring who might align with which side, and is a reflection of continuing public interest in the personal relationships within and around the royal family rather than any formal announcement from the royal household.