7 British celebs Meghan and Harry will rely on during bombshell UK return

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are reportedly moving to the UK, six years after starting a new life in the States. Following the news, the couple, who have been raising Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in Montecito, will be forced to say goodbye for a little while to some of their closest friends in California. Among them, Meghan is known to spend time with Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, as well as her long-time BFF, former model and Alliance of Moms founder, Kelly McKee Zajfen.

As for Harry, the duke has maintained a sweet friendship with record producer David Foster and his wife, Katherine McPhee, the latter of whom attended the same LA school as Meghan growing up. With Harry and Meghan moving back across the pond, their departure from the US will likely be bittersweet. While it's unknown how the Sussexes currently fare with the British Royal Family, the couple can count on some of their celeb pals in the UK, many of whom they've known for years. Find out who they are below…

While there are rumours of a growing rift between Elton John and Prince Harry, following the fallout of their lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Ltd., the duo have been loyal to one another for decades. "I’ll always love him," Harry said of Elton in his memoir, Spare. 

Owing to Elton's close friendship with Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, the Rocket Man singer has taken on a godfather-esque role to the duke and his brother, Prince William, in the 29 years since her death.

Offering them a safe place to stay, Elton and his husband, Dave Furnish, have frequently offered their properties to Meghan and Harry, too, whether that be for family holidays or privacy and respite from the headlines. 

After the Sussexes were criticised in the media for using a private jet to stay at their home in Nice in 2023, Elton released a statement in Harry and Meghan's defence. “Prince Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of my dearest friends. I feel a profound sense of obligation to protect Harry and his family from the unnecessary press intrusion that contributed to Diana’s untimely death," he said. 

With Meghan and Harry returning to the UK, Elton and David, who own a multi-million-pound property in London's Holland Park, will likely support them. 

Photographer and filmmaker Misan Harriman remains a close confidante to both Meghan and Harry. Tasked with capturing key moments and milestones in their lives, Misan famously snapped Meghan's 2021 pregnancy announcement and Princess Lilibet's 2022 first birthday portrait.

Speaking with People magazine in 2024, the photographer described Meghan as a "sister". 

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They're not celebrities, but Hugh Grosvenor, the 7th Duke of Westminster, shares a close friendship with Harry and his brother, William, having known them both since childhood. In spite of the Royal Family feud, Hugh has managed to stay out of it, while remaining a dear friend to each of the brothers.

Not only is he godfather to William's son, Prince George, but he's also been appointed godfather to Harry's son, Prince Archie. Following Hugh's wedding to aristocrat Olivia Henson in 2024, the happy couple have gone on to welcome a daughter named Cosima, and with Meghan and Harry in town, we're sure they'll pay a visit to the Duke and Duchess of Westminster sometime soon. 

Harry shares an unbreakable bond with Scottish presenter, ex-Royal Marine, and Invictus Games medalist JJ Chalmers. "I wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for the Invictus Games, and we would never have had that if it wasn’t for him," JJ said of Harry in 2020. 

During the prince's visit to the UK last month, JJ joined his long-time friend on the Joe Marler Will See You Now podcast, where they discussed and promoted the 2027 Invictus Games. JJ is also expected to continue his role as an ambassador for the games next year. 

Ok, they might not be British, but Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are currently living in the UK.

Meghan and Harry became close with Ellen and Portia after moving into the same Montecito neighbourhood as them in 2020. In a sweet development, it was revealed in 2023 that the Sussexes had even attended Ellen and Portia's star-studded vow renewal ceremony that year.

As a result of Donald Trump's re-election as US President, Ellen and Portia left California in 2024 and moved to the Cotswolds in the UK. A popular and affluent choice for A-listers, the area is also home to the Beckhams, and it's close to the King's Gloucestershire residence, Highgrove House. Perhaps Meghan and Harry will follow suit and move their family to the Cotswolds...