The reason why Meghan Markle stayed behind as Prince Harry returns to the UK

Prince Harry has returned to the UK, but many royal watchers will notice one significant absence. His wife, Meghan Markle is nowhere to be seen.

This isn't the first time the Duchess of Sussex has chosen to remain in Montecito with their two children rather than accompany her husband on an overseas trip to the UK.

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With Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet staying behind in California, it's widely believed that Meghan opted to prioritise caring for their young children while Prince Harry honours his commitments in the UK.

In July, Prince Harry shared the alarming reason he is hesitant to bring his wife back to the UK - he fears the threat of an acid attack.

In a candid interview for ITV's Tabloids on Trial , the Duke opened up about his deep concerns for Meghan's safety . "All it takes is one lone act, or someone who has read these things and decides to act on it, whether that's with a knife or acid," Harry explained.

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"These are real fears for me, and it's one of the key reasons I won't bring my wife back to this country."

Prince Harry moved his family to California in 2020. The Prince and Meghan live with their two children, Prince Archie, five, and three-year-old Princess Lilibet, in Montecito.

The Duke attended Monday's WellChild Awards ceremony in his role as the charity's patron, a position he has held for more than 15 years.

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The Duchess last visited her husband's home country in September 2022. The Sussexes attended the One Young World summit in Manchester and had been due to appear at the WellChild Awards but had to miss the event following the death of Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II .

Harry and Meghan's visit to the UK was extended in order for them to attend the late Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral at Westminster Abbey in London.

On a previous episode of HELLO! 's A Right Royal Podcast, The Telegraph's Royal Editor Hannah Furness talked about why Meghan was ever unlikely to return to the UK anytime soon.

"There is quite a heavy narrative that Meghan and the children won't be coming back until they can resolve this security issue to their liking," she says. "But he [Harry] will certainly be coming and going."

The Duke 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.

LISTEN: Prince Harry's return to the UK for WellChild

Harry's lawyers filed an emotional witness statement to the High Court in December, in which the Duke explained why he and Meghan felt they had to move to the US after stepping back as senior royals in 2020.

He wrote: "It was with great sadness for both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020.

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"The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the US. That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil.

"I cannot put my wife in danger like that and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm's way too."