Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK has already sparked plenty of speculation, but an unexpected detail surrounding the family’s move has now caught royal fans’ attention.
As the Sussexes prepare to uproot their children from California after years of building a life there, the move has raised questions about its impact on Archie and Lilibet.
Critics have also revived an old controversy involving Meghan and one of her rescue pets.
“How could she just leave them in CA when they are moving to the UK? That is very unfair to the kids…” one netizen fumed.
Harry and Meghan’s UK move has raised questions about their “beloved” pets reportedly being left behind in California
Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan are expected to leave their Montecito home later this month and return to the UK, more than six years after stepping away from royal life.
Their children have reportedly been enrolled at a British school and are expected to begin classes when the new term starts in September.
The family is expected to settle at a private, non-royal property outside London, although the exact location has not been publicly disclosed.
Reports have mentioned the Cotswolds and Northamptonshire, but no specific property has been confirmed.
The move does not necessarily mean a permanent departure from the US.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to retain their Montecito estate, as well as their home in Portugal, suggesting they could continue dividing their time between countries.
Moreover, the couple are not returning as working royals and will remain private citizens, with no plans to resume official duties for the monarchy.
The couple’s dogs are reportedly moving with them, but their rescued chickens will stay in California
According to multiple reports, the family’s two dogs, Pula and Mia, are reportedly expected to make the journey across the Atlantic with the family.
Their flock of rescued chickens, however, will remain at the couple’s Montecito property.
The news was first reported by Hello!, which stated, “[I]t’s thought that the dogs will come with them.”
The publication added, “The chickens are unlikely to be crossing the Atlantic… This doesn’t mean that the birds will be gotten rid of, as in the family’s absence, staff will be tending to their Montecito home.”
The chickens have become a familiar part of the Sussexes’ California life.
Meghan and Harry originally rescued 10 hens from a commercial factory farm, while their famous chicken coop was named “Archie’s Chick Inn” after their son.
The couple have also previously shared glimpses of family life around the coop, including collecting eggs with their children.
That history has made the decision to leave the flock behind particularly controversial among some critics, who argue that the chickens are not simply animals kept on the property but part of Archie and Lilibet’s childhood.
The children have also been involved in caring for the birds, with Meghan sharing glimpses of them spending time around the coop and collecting eggs.
Netizens point to a “troubling pattern” as Archie and Lilibet’s bond with the chickens fuels backlash
That has led some critics to question whether leaving the flock behind could be particularly difficult for Archie and Lilibet as they adjust to life in the UK.
One netizen wrote, “As if the kids don’t have enough trauma. The only things consistently there for them…get left behind.”
Another netizen added, “You don’t leave ‘beloved’ pets behind, especially when you have the financial means to bring them with you. Then again, Meghan has a pattern of abandoning people and pets, so it totally fits.”
“Meghan has no problem whatsoever abandoning pets. They are better off without her imo…” remarked a third.
Another user commented, “Why should we be surprised they are leaving their beloved pets. Harry and Meg’s needs come first. Every time. Their pets are collateral damage.”
One comment read, “Oh, I thought she loves rescuing, but she left out the rest of the sentence, ‘I love rescuing for the cameras, then I dump them when the cameras turn off’”
Others expressed, “I was going to move overseas, and at the time quarantine would have been 6 months for my dogs. As soon as I heard that, I called off the move, which would have been great for me.”
The Suits alum previously left behind her rescue dog Bogart in Canada when she relocated to the UK in 2017
“I would not subject my dogs to that, nor would I EVER leave them behind. These dogs were good enough for social media posts but not to take along? Horrible.”
The backlash has also revived an old controversy involving one of Markle’s rescue dogs.
Before meeting Harry, Meghan lived in Toronto while filming Suits and owned two dogs, Beagle Guy and Labrador-Shepherd mix Bogart.
When she moved to the UK in 2017 to marry Harry, Guy made the transatlantic journey with her.
Bogart, however, remained in North America and was given to friends.
At the time, a palace spokesperson did not provide a specific reason for the decision, noting only the “lots of complexity” involved in moving an animal overseas.
Reports later suggested that a veterinarian had advised against flying Bogart because of his age and the stress associated with a long-haul journey.
While supporters have defended the decision as one made with the dog’s welfare in mind, critics have brought up the incident again amid the latest controversy.
“Clearly Harry and Meghan’s pets are not beloved then. Shows how emotionless these two really are…” one user wrote
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