Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their two children moved to the United States four years ago and have now officially changed their country of residence from the United Kingdom to the United States, indicating his intention to stay in the United States. The move, reflected in a filing with the UK Registrar of Companies, is linked to his ecotourism initiative, Travalyst, highlighting the Duke of Sussex's new life in California.
According to British media on April 18, Travalyst was founded in the United Kingdom four years ago and was initially linked to Prince Harry's place of residence in the United Kingdom. However, recent documents show that his "usual country/state" is the United States, and the date of the change is retroactive to June 29, 2023. This date coincides with the abandonment of Harry and Meghan's former British residence, Villa Frogmot, which was gifted by Queen Elizabeth II.
A spokesman for the couple said at the time: "We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been asked to move out of their residence at Floating Moore Villas." ”
Despite occasional returns to the UK, including an upcoming visit to mark the game's 10th anniversary, Harry's legal battle over security arrangements in the UK highlights his increasingly complicated relationship with his homeland. Harry's appeal was dismissed yesterday after a High Court challenge against his personal security measures, highlighting the complexities of his transition away from royal duties.
Subsequently, Prince Harry took legal action against the Home Office after the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royal and Public Figures (RAVEC) decided in February 2020 that he should receive varying degrees of taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK. The judge was told that Lavic's decision was the result of a change in "status" after the Duke ceased to be a "full-time member of the royal family".
In January 2022, his legal representative said: "The UK will always be Prince Harry's home and the country he wants his wife and children to be safe. Due to the lack of police protection, the risk to the individual is too great. After nearly two years of Prince Harry's plea for British security, he hopes his petition will resolve the issue. ”
But just a few months later, the prince told NBC that the United States was his home: "For me, the home now is in the United States for the time being. It feels like it's true. We were welcomed with open arms and didn't expect to have such a great community in Santa Barbara. ”
On Monday, a judicial spokesman said Harry's initial appeal against the decision had failed. However, he could still apply directly to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal.
Last year, Harry highlighted his desire for the safety and protection of Britain in a statement, but then painted a different picture with his talk to NBC, where Harry declared the United States his current home. This sentiment was reflected in his recent attendance at Travalyst's annual shareholder meeting, where he emphasized the importance of community engagement in sustainable tourism, speaking from his residence in Montecito, California.
Harry, who attended the meeting via video link from his home in Montecito, said at the conference: "Travel and tourism depend on destinations, and destinations are brought together by communities, and without destinations, we have nowhere to go. Community is the heart of travel, and we must do better, in charge of the guardians of the places we visit. ”
Although Travalyst restructured last year and Harry's waning influence in the announcement sparked speculation about his level of involvement, the group confirmed that he remains the founder and active participant in the project. Chief executive officer Sally David clarified that despite the change in Travalyst's leadership, Harry's commitment to the project remains strong, highlighting his continued influence in shaping its strategic direction.
In light of these developments, Prince Harry's official change of country of residence marks an important milestone in his transition away from the duties of British royalty. As he and Meghan continue to advance their philanthropic and advocacy work in the United States, their evolving role on the global stage continues to attract public attention and scrutiny.