By Molly Claire Goddard
10:43am PST, Jan 14, 2026
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After leaving The Firm in January 2020, royal expert
Marlene Koenig feels
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got the privacy they craved. "I think we overuse the word 'private life.' Meghan and Harry have achieved a private life because they control their narrative," she told
Daily Express.
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While it may seem like
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are constantly making headlines, Marlene Koenig thinks their life in California is precisely how they want it. "Yes, they are seen publicly at events, but when they leave, they return to the gated community in Montecito where they live," she said.
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In
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit announcement, they expressed their desire to forge their own path. "We intend to step back as 'senior' members of the royal family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment," the statement shared to Instagram via
Daily Express read.
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"We [
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle] now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to Queen Elizabeth II, the Commonwealth and our patronages," they continued. "This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son [
Prince Archie] with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity."
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rarely visited the U.K. due to the removal of their government-funded security. However, with the protection being reinstated, there could be a chance for the couple and their two children to return. "This puts Meghan in a rather awkward position, since I really don't think she is eager to return to what she sees as a somewhat hostile environment," royal author
Christopher Andersen told
Us Weekly.
