Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will seek to have a hybrid private-royal status when they make their return to the UK, it has been claimed.

A source says the Sussexes will put attempts to work out a mutually beneficial relationship with the Royal Family as 'private royals-plus' at the top of their agenda.

However, there are now questions over how long Harry and Meghan will even remain in Britain, with suggestions that it could be as soon as six months to a year before the 'international couple' decide to leave again and go to Australia or Canada, the insider added.

After their move to Montecito in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were able to develop their 'brand' free from protocol and royal breath down their necks.

With their return, they will need to readjust to life closer to home and deeper within the Palace sphere of influence.

The royal source told the Sunday Times: 'They'll also be watched like hawks for anything that looks like they're trying to monetise their brand.'

'The feeling has always been they can do that in Montecito, but not here. If they come over and do the Montecito playbook - doing deals and making money - in the Cotswolds... that's not going to go down well.'

But the source says that, while making the readjustments themselves, they will be expecting there to be movement on the royals' side too.

In their best-case scenario, Harry and Meghan could remain a private couple while also making public appearances alongside serving royals once they return to the fold.

'It needs all sides to agree a template for "private royals-plus". It needs them to be much more "private" than "working", and be seen at family occasions, like Christmas at Sandringham.

'That requires William and Catherine to say "yes please" and how on earth does that happen? Just saying it out loud sounds implausible.'

William and Harry have not been on speaking terms since the Queen's funeral in September 2022.

But Harry did tell the BBC last year that he wanted to change that, saying 'There's no point in continuing to fight any more.'

While Andrew Morton, Diana's biographer, told Times Radio that William had been 'deeply, deeply hurt' by what Harry had said and written about him in his tell-all book Spare, he added that Harry's return was 'probably a good thing' for the Royal Family.

It gives a chance for his children, Lilibet, five, and Archie, seven, to get to know their grandfather as the King and 'future proofs' their status within the Firm, the source continued.

But they must walk a thin line before they are brought back into the fold once again.

If they manage to achieve a 'private royals-plus' position, they will receive the best of both worlds – a place among the royals but with the freedom of remaining a private family.

This 'private' status is what gives them the freedom to move away again if they please. 

The source said that, while they did not expect their stay in the UK to be forever, it would be 'an extended period of time', but admitted that he didn't think the couple had even worked it out themselves.

With this in mind, the insider added: 'They might suddenly go: "Why don't we try Canada for a while? Why don't we try Australia?" It's one of the great things about being private individuals [that they can live where they choose].'

But in the meantime, the children are due to start school next month – Lilibet in year one of pre-prep and Archie in the first year of preparatory school.

It was this fact that was instrumental in the short notice of their return, the source added, as they had to wait until the school confirmed their children's places before they could move.

Harry is said to want Archie to learn to play rugby and cricket, and wants to watch more rugby games himself – something he missed in the US.

With the children's school places, the potential for Meghan to land a role in Guy Ritchie's hit Netflix show The Gentlemen and Harry's opportunity to cosy back up to his family and the Spencers, it seemed like the perfect time to make the move back across the pond.

But Meghan's potential return to acting appears to have fallen apart already, with Ritchie reportedly withdrawing his offer of the role due to the huge attention their move back to the UK has attracted.

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