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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will look to have a hybrid private-royal status while back in the UK, it has been claimed.

With their arrival on British shores raising innumerable eyebrows, the source said that they will look to work out a mutually beneficial relationship with their somewhat estranged family - as 'private royals-plus', the insider coined.

But the length of their stay and where they'll end up after it if they decide to leave is yet to be determined.

It could be as short as just six months to a year before the 'international couple' could decide to go to Australia or Canada, the source said.

But for now, a reorganising of family and public relations will be at the top of their agenda, the contact said.

After moving to Montecito, California - where they were able to monetise their brand largely free from protocol and royal breath down their necks - they will have to adjust to life closer to home and deeper within the regal sphere of influence.

Prince Harry and Meghan will be looking to have a hybrid relationship with the royal family - part royal and part private - following their bombshell move back to the UK

William and Harry have not spoken to each other since the Queen's funeral in 2022, but commentators believe Harry's move back is a 'good thing' for the royal family

The royal source told the Sunday Times: 'They'll also be watched like hawks for anything that looks like they're trying to monetise their brand.'

'The feeling has always been they can do that in Montecito, but not here. If they come over and do the Montecito playbook - doing deals and making money - in the Cotswolds... that's not going to go down well.'

But while they may need to put on airs while back in the King's territory, the source believes they'll be vying for a paradigm shift on the royal's side too.

In their best-case scenario, they could remain a private couple while also making public appearances alongside serving royals once they return to the fold.

'It needs all sides to agree a template for "private royals plus". It needs them to be much more "private" than "working", and be seen at family occasions, like Christmas at Sandringham.

'That requires William and Catherine to say 'yes please' and how on earth does that happen? Just saying it out loud sounds implausible.'

William and Harry have not been on speaking terms since the Queen's funeral in September 2022.

But Harry did tell the BBC last year that he wanted to change that, saying 'There's no point in continuing to fight any more.'

While Andrew Morton, Diana's biographer, told Times Radio that William had been 'deeply, deeply hurt' by what Harry had said and written about him in his tell-all book Spare, he added that Harry's return was 'probably a good thing' for the royal family.

It gives a chance for his children, Lilibet, five, and Archie, seven, to get to know their grandfather as the King and 'future proofs' their status within the royal family, the source continued.

But it is a thin line they must walk before they are brought back into the fold once again.

If they manage to achieve this 'private royals-plus' position, they will receive the best of both worlds - a place among the royals but the freedom of being a private family.

This 'private' status is what gives them the freedom to move away again if they please.

The source said they may only stay in the UK for six months to a year and could decide to up sticks once more and move to Canada or Australia - where they are pictured here during their visit to Sydney in April

The source said that while they did not expect their stay in the UK to be forever, it would be 'an extended period of time', but admitted that he didn't think the couple had even worked it out themselves.

With this in mind, the insider added: 'They might suddenly go: 'Why don't we try Canada for a while? Why don't we try Australia?' It's one of the great things about being private individuals [that they can live where they choose].'

But in the meantime, the children are due to start school next month - Lilibet in year 1 of pre-prep and Archie in the first year of the preparatory school.

It was this fact which was instrumental in the somewhat surprisingly short notice of their return, the source added, as they had to wait until the school confirmed their children's places before they could move.

Harry is said to want Archie to learn to play rugby and cricket, and wants to watch more rugby games himself - something he missed in the US.

With the children's school places, the potential for Meghan to land a role in Guy Ritchie's hit Netflix show The Gentlemen and Harry's opportunity to cosy back up to his family and the Spencers, it seemed like the perfect time to make the move back across the pond.

But Meghan's opening disintegrated before she could make her comeback to acting, with Ritchie withdrawing the role due to massive backlash.