A royal expert has claimed that Meghan Markle will have ‘the final choice’ over whether her children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet visit the UK, and cannot be pushed into a UK return by Prince Harry

The Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle will make the final decision over whether she and Prince Harry along with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet visit the UK, a royal expert claims.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal life in 2020 and have now settled in Montecito, California and it seems unlikely they will ever fully return. Meghan is also thought to be less than keen to visit the UK, whilst her husband Harry has made a handful of trips since they stepped back from royal duties four years ago.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has explained that Meghan will be the ultimate decider over whether the family of four visits the UK together.

Meghan Markle ‘has the final say’ over whether she and Prince Harry will make a UK return, according to a royal expert (Image: (Image: Getty))

Richard Fitzwilliams told Bella magazine as he explained: “Meghan has the say. There’s no doubt Harry wishes to convey he is a very devoted family man and will put them above everything else. Just like William.”

He added that Harry was “extremely unlikely” to come over to the UK with the children without his wife, and that she “could never be forced to”. The comments come as the Duke of Sussex faces a bill of £1million after being told to reimburse taxpayers having lost a battle with the Home Office for downgrading his security.

Harry has been ordered by the High Court to pay 90% of the Home Office’s legal costs of defending his challenge over changing his level of police protection when he visits the UK. He took legal action against the Home Office over the February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of taxpayer-funded protection when in the country.

The Sussexes live in Montecito, California and are ‘extremely unlikely’ to ever return to the UK

Following the previous ruling, a spokesperson for the Duke said he intended to challenge the judgement, adding that Harry “hopes he will obtain justice from the Court of Appeal”. But on Monday a judicial spokesperson said that Harry has lost his initial bid to appeal against the decision.

The exact sum that Harry has to pay was not specified but figures from a Freedom of Information request revealed that the government had spent £514,128. This included more than £180,000 on barristers, £320,000 on solicitors at the Government Legal Department, and £2,300 in court fees, while Harry is thought to have spent a similar amount on his own legal costs.