Meghan Markle Set to Continue 'Avoiding the U.K.' as Prince Harry's Return for Court Appearance Looms

Prince Harry will reportedly return to England in January 2025 for his trial against News Group Newspapers (NGN), and Meghan Markle will likely not be there to support him.

Royal and showbiz expert Richard Fitzwilliams told GBN, "I think that will be done separately, there are several reasons why Meghan will not come to the U.K. at the moment."

The commentator added, "It is perfectly obvious why, just look at the opinion polls. Of course, there is a rift with the royal family, there is no reason for her to come."

This follows reports that claim Harry will leave his Duchess one day for a permanent return home to the United Kingdom.

Veteran royal author and historian Hugo Vickers told royal editor Matt Wilkinson on "The Sun's Royal Exclusive" podcast, "I think he'll come home. I think he'll come home, and if he comes home, we must be very nice to him because he won't particularly want to. He's quite angry I think."

The presenter then wondered if King Charles III, if still reigning, would welcome his youngest child back, to which Vickers shared: "Yes, I do. The King has left the door wide open for him to do that and he was doing such a good job before and... he looked so happy."

In February, Harry reached a settlement with the publisher of a tabloid over allegations of phone hacking. The settlement concludes a legal battle in which Harry accused the publisher of unlawfully intercepting his voicemails.

The fiery-haired prince was awarded 140,000 pounds in damages as part of the settlement with News Group Newspapers, the publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World. That settlement marked the end of one of several legal cases Harry has brought against British tabloids for what he describes as a systematic invasion of his privacy.

The lawsuit claimed that reporters and private investigators working for the newspapers had intercepted his voicemails from what the judge said was roughly 2003-2009, in which reporters gained access to personal and confidential information.

Harry's legal team argued that this information was then used to produce stories that invaded his privacy and caused significant distress.

From a young age, Harry was acutely aware of the relentless scrutiny of the media, which is part of being a public figure and senior royal in the world's most popular monarchy. However, this invasive coverage intensified after the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana in 1997, who was pursued by the paparazzi until her untimely demise.

According to the Duke, the constant barrage of media attention has had a profound impact on him, shaping his views on the need for a responsible and ethical press.

The Duke is only "one of two claimants" set to go to trial with NGN after over 30 individuals settled with the media conglomerate.