Annnnnnd they’re off(Image: PA)

After years of residing in Montecito, California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made their return to the UK. However, just a fortnight into their stay, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could be on the brink of departing Britain, suggests royal commentator Dickie Arbiter.

He appeared on TalkTV with host Jeremy Kyle on Wednesday and dropped a bombshell. This comes after the Duke and Duchess were reportedly “surprised” by the King’s formal reaffirmation that they will be treated as “private citizens”.

It is understood that the couple did not have sufficient time to clarify any points before the guidance was issued to the media. King Charles, Harry’s father, instructed the Royal Household’s most senior officer, the Lord Chamberlain, to write to key stakeholders within the Government and the military outlining guidelines on their status, confirming they could not use their “HRH” titles.

Jeremy queried: “This preconceived belief they were going to come back and they were going to come back and the King released this letter via Lord Chamberlain. Do you think this will mean they won’t last long in the UK. It will be temporary. How long do you think they will be here?” Dickie hinted that the Sussexes might depart the country earlier than initially expected.

He responded: “I’m not sure they are here long-term. I firmly believe that they will go back to Montecito for Christmas because that’s where her mother is. Everybody talks about reconciliation with the King but what about reconciliation with Thomas Markle.”, reports the Express.

Lord Benyon’s letter reinforces the couple’s “current” status as non-working royals. It reads, “This position, distinct from the state and royal duties undertaken by the working royal family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected.

“Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used.”

It states their charitable work “is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity” adding, “In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”

It was disclosed to the media at 3.06pm on Monday. It is understood the contents were shared with Harry and Meghan’s team almost an hour before at 1.59pm.

Meanwhile, the couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are expected to be starting school in the UK near to the family’s reported countryside retreat.