Prince Harry’s First Family Member to Speak Out About His U.K. Return Reveals Reaction
Prince Harry’s First Family Member to Speak Out About His U.K. Return Reveals Reaction
Erin HillThu, August 27, 2026 at 2:36 PM UTC
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Prince Harry Duke of Sussex at TIME100 Sports Gala on July 16, 2026 in New York.Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty -
Lady Eliza Spencer has become the first member of Prince Harry’s family to speak publicly about his return to the U.K., calling the news “exciting”
Princess Diana’s niece said she hopes to spend time with Harry and Meghan Markle now that the Sussexes are back in Britain
Harry and Meghan arrived in Britain with Archie and Lilibet on Aug. 26 as they begin an extended stay in the U.K.
Prince Harry is getting a warm welcome from a member of Princess Diana’s family following his return to Britain.
Lady Eliza Spencer, the daughter of Diana’s brother Charles Spencer and Harry’s first cousin, has become the first member of Harry’s family to speak publicly about his return to the U.K. with Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Speaking to the Mirror on Wednesday, Aug. 26, just hours after Harry and Meghan landed in Birmingham following a private flight from California, Eliza expressed her excitement about having her cousin and his family back in Britain.
“Absolutely, it’s exciting!” Eliza, 34, told the outlet while attending the launch of her rosé brand, Lala V, in London. “We would love to be able to find some time to visit.”
Eliza Spencer and Channing Millerd pose for a photo together in December 2024.Credit: Eliza Spencer/Instagram
The timing comes with a fitting coincidence: Eliza is following in the footsteps of her cousin’s wife with her new venture. Meghan launched a Napa Valley rosé through her As ever lifestyle brand last year. Asked whether she might swap winemaking tips with the Duchess of Sussex now that she’s back in Britain, Eliza teased, “Maybe!”
Meghan Markle; As ever roséCredit: Craig Barritt/Getty; As Ever
Her comments come at a significant moment for Harry, 41, who has maintained close ties to his mother’s side of the family even as his relationships with some members of the royal family have remained strained.
Harry and Meghan, 45, spent time with the Spencers during their visit to Britain in July. The couple brought Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to Althorp, Diana’s childhood home and final resting place, where they spent time with Charles Spencer, his wife Cat Jarman and several cousins from Diana’s side of the family.
Lady Eliza Spencer, Louis Spencer, Victoria Lockwood and Lady Kitty Spencer attend the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 at Windsor CastleCredit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
The visit was an important part of Harry’s desire to give his children a stronger connection to their British roots and to the family of the grandmother they never had the chance to meet.
Now those relationships could become easier to nurture.
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As PEOPLE exclusively revealed, Harry and Meghan are returning to Britain for an extended period with Archie and Lilibet, who are enrolled in school in the U.K. The family arrived in Britain on Wednesday as they begin establishing their new life there.
Credit: Craig Barritt/Getty
For Harry, the move also brings him physically closer to the family and longtime friends he has missed during his six years in California. Sources tell PEOPLE in this week’s exclusive cover story that rebuilding a life in Britain had been on Harry’s mind for some time and that he “never really stopped missing home.”
His connection to the Spencers has been particularly important. Harry remains close to his uncle Charles, and his relationship with Diana’s family has continued despite the geographical distance of recent years.
Eliza and her twin sister, Lady Amelia Spencer, attended Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Eliza was just 5 when her aunt Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
Eliza Spencer and Channing Millerd in July 2024.Credit: Eliza Spencer/Instagram
Eliza’s comments also come as she prepares for a major family milestone of her own. She is engaged to longtime partner Channing Millerd, and told the Mirror that the couple is still in the early stages of planning their wedding.
Asked whether both Harry and his estranged brother Prince William would be invited, Eliza said family members would be on the guest list, though she did not offer specifics.
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Harry and William remain estranged, with sources telling PEOPLE that the brothers are still in “no contact.” But Harry’s return to Britain has raised new questions about whether being in closer proximity to his family could eventually create opportunities for relationships to thaw.
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