Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle 'Could Revive' British Citizenship Bid After UK Return, Unnamed Source Tells Radar Online IBTimes US

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Meghan Markle 'Could Revive' British Citizenship Bid After UK Return, Unnamed Source Tells Radar Online

LONDON — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, could revive her long-abandoned ambition to become a British citizen following her family's return to the United Kingdom, according to an unnamed source quoted by the entertainment website Radar Online. The claim has not been confirmed by the Sussexes or their representatives, and the coverage reviewed for this article included no comment from the Home Office.

The reports say Meghan, 45, moved back to Britain in August with her husband, Prince Harry, 42, and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, after about six years based mainly in California. The family is establishing itself at a private, non-royal residence outside London while keeping ties to the United States, with the children starting school in Britain, according to the reports. The move, they say, has revived questions about whether she might eventually pursue the citizenship process she had been expected to follow after marrying Harry in 2018.

The idea has a history. Meghan married Harry at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in May 2018. Kensington Palace had already made clear that she intended to follow the ordinary citizenship process rather than receive preferential treatment because she had married into the royal family. A 2018 report by China Daily noted that all would-be citizens must pass the "Life in the UK" test, answering 18 out of 24 questions selected from about 3,000 facts. In early 2020, Fox News reported that she had started the process shortly after her wedding by applying as the spouse of a British citizen, and that Harry's spokesperson had promised during the engagement that she would be in compliance with U.K. immigration law "at all times."

Those plans stalled after the couple announced in January 2020 that they intended to step back as senior royals and become financially independent. The reports note that their proposed "half-in, half-out" arrangement was rejected after a summit at Sandringham with Queen Elizabeth II, and that the couple stopped carrying out official engagements before moving to North America. Even in 2020, coverage noted the practical difficulty: under Home Office rules, applicants must not have spent more than 270 days outside the country in the three years before applying, according to The Telegraph.

The current claims rest on a single anonymous source. That person told Radar Online that citizenship was long on Meghan's mind. "British citizenship was something Meghan genuinely expected to pursue when she married Harry. At that point she believed Britain would be her permanent home, so becoming a citizen was a natural part of building her life here," the source said. The source described the reversal that followed. "Everything changed with Megxit. Once Meghan and Harry established themselves in America, there was little practical reason to continue down that road."

The same source suggested the return has altered the picture without predicting an imminent step. "Returning to Britain changes the equation again," the source said. "She may not rush off tomorrow to study for and sit a citizenship test, but it is something that could logically come back onto the table and be revived if Britain once again becomes their long-term family base." Reality Tea and other outlets that repeated the story stressed the same caveat, that she may not "rush off tomorrow" to take the test.

The source also drew a distinction between living in Britain and rejoining the monarchy. "The complication is that returning geographically doesn't mean Meghan and Harry have returned to the royal family. Those are completely separate things, and Buckingham Palace has gone out of its way to make that distinction unmistakable," the source said. Brit Brief reported the source as adding that citizenship now would mark a striking change from the circumstances in which she left, saying her relationship with Britain became "incredibly difficult" and that she ultimately felt unable to remain.

Any application would still have to meet the immigration rules. Under current Home Office guidelines, marriage to a British citizen does not itself confer automatic British citizenship, according to the coverage. An applicant using the spouse route must generally have lived in the United Kingdom for at least three years before applying and hold indefinite leave to remain or settled status. The reports do not say what immigration status Meghan currently holds, and they do not explain how the residency and absence requirements would apply to her particular circumstances, so it is not possible to say from the available information how soon, or whether, she could apply.

The Sussexes' return has produced a steady flow of stories based on unnamed insiders, and this one is best read as speculation rather than reporting on an application. No filing has been reported, and neither Meghan nor Harry has publicly said she intends to seek citizenship. Citizenship applications are also a private matter between an individual and the Home Office, which means confirmation could be slow to emerge even if she did decide to proceed.

For now, what is documented is limited: the family has returned to Britain, Meghan once began the process and later stopped, and an anonymous source says the door could reopen if the UK becomes their long-term base. Whether that happens will depend on decisions the couple has not announced.

LONDON — Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, could revive her long-abandoned ambition to become a British citizen following her family's return to the United Kingdom, according to an unnamed source quoted by the entertainment website Radar Online. The claim has not been confirmed by the Sussexes or their representatives, and the coverage reviewed for this article included no comment from the Home Office.

The reports say Meghan, 45, moved back to Britain in August with her husband, Prince Harry, 42, and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, after about six years based mainly in California. The family is establishing itself at a private, non-royal residence outside London while keeping ties to the United States, with the children starting school in Britain, according to the reports. The move, they say, has revived questions about whether she might eventually pursue the citizenship process she had been expected to follow after marrying Harry in 2018.

The idea has a history. Meghan married Harry at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in May 2018. Kensington Palace had already made clear that she intended to follow the ordinary citizenship process rather than receive preferential treatment because she had married into the royal family. A 2018 report by China Daily noted that all would-be citizens must pass the "Life in the UK" test, answering 18 out of 24 questions selected from about 3,000 facts. In early 2020, Fox News reported that she had started the process shortly after her wedding by applying as the spouse of a British citizen, and that Harry's spokesperson had promised during the engagement that she would be in compliance with U.K. immigration law "at all times."

Those plans stalled after the couple announced in January 2020 that they intended to step back as senior royals and become financially independent. The reports note that their proposed "half-in, half-out" arrangement was rejected after a summit at Sandringham with Queen Elizabeth II, and that the couple stopped carrying out official engagements before moving to North America. Even in 2020, coverage noted the practical difficulty: under Home Office rules, applicants must not have spent more than 270 days outside the country in the three years before applying, according to The Telegraph.

The current claims rest on a single anonymous source. That person told Radar Online that citizenship was long on Meghan's mind. "British citizenship was something Meghan genuinely expected to pursue when she married Harry. At that point she believed Britain would be her permanent home, so becoming a citizen was a natural part of building her life here," the source said. The source described the reversal that followed. "Everything changed with Megxit. Once Meghan and Harry established themselves in America, there was little practical reason to continue down that road."

The same source suggested the return has altered the picture without predicting an imminent step. "Returning to Britain changes the equation again," the source said. "She may not rush off tomorrow to study for and sit a citizenship test, but it is something that could logically come back onto the table and be revived if Britain once again becomes their long-term family base." Reality Tea and other outlets that repeated the story stressed the same caveat, that she may not "rush off tomorrow" to take the test.

The source also drew a distinction between living in Britain and rejoining the monarchy. "The complication is that returning geographically doesn't mean Meghan and Harry have returned to the royal family. Those are completely separate things, and Buckingham Palace has gone out of its way to make that distinction unmistakable," the source said. Brit Brief reported the source as adding that citizenship now would mark a striking change from the circumstances in which she left, saying her relationship with Britain became "incredibly difficult" and that she ultimately felt unable to remain.

Any application would still have to meet the immigration rules. Under current Home Office guidelines, marriage to a British citizen does not itself confer automatic British citizenship, according to the coverage. An applicant using the spouse route must generally have lived in the United Kingdom for at least three years before applying and hold indefinite leave to remain or settled status. The reports do not say what immigration status Meghan currently holds, and they do not explain how the residency and absence requirements would apply to her particular circumstances, so it is not possible to say from the available information how soon, or whether, she could apply.

The Sussexes' return has produced a steady flow of stories based on unnamed insiders, and this one is best read as speculation rather than reporting on an application. No filing has been reported, and neither Meghan nor Harry has publicly said she intends to seek citizenship. Citizenship applications are also a private matter between an individual and the Home Office, which means confirmation could be slow to emerge even if she did decide to proceed.

For now, what is documented is limited: the family has returned to Britain, Meghan once began the process and later stopped, and an anonymous source says the door could reopen if the UK becomes their long-term base. Whether that happens will depend on decisions the couple has not announced.

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