Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly set to return to the UK with their children, however, royal biographer Andrew Lownie believes Meghan may struggle with one part of life in Britain

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent shockwaves around the globe when they revealed plans to return to the UK.

The former working royals are anticipated back in Britain later this month, with their children, Archie and Lilibet, set to begin at British schools for the upcoming academic year, which commences in September.

However, one leading royal commentator believes there’s a particular challenge Meghan will find especially difficult to cope with as the couple readjust following more than six years living in California.

Considerable speculation has surrounded where Harry and Meghan will settle when they arrive back. As private individuals no longer within the Royal Family, their exact location is unlikely to be made public.

It’s anticipated they’ll reside on a private estate away from London, with two areas being widely discussed, reports the Express.

One possibility is Northamptonshire, close to the ancestral home of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. The alternative is the Cotswolds, an area already populated by celebrities and the ultra-wealthy.

According to royal biographer Andrew Lownie, there’s one aspect Meghan might not have fully considered – Britain’s notorious weather.

While the country has experienced (or suffered through) successive heatwaves over the past three months, conditions are set to deteriorate as winter draws near.

Andrew told The Daily T podcast: “I can’t see Meghan enjoying a Cotswolds winter with the rain coming down, and her mother a long way away. So I just can’t see this working.”

The writer has penned several volumes about the Royal Family, most recently Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, which examines the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor controversy.

Throughout the podcast, he also discussed what Harry and Meghan’s apparently abrupt choice to abandon their American lifestyle and return to the UK reveals about the evolving balance in their marriage. The move was so unexpected that it reportedly caught Harry’s father, King Charles, off guard.

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He explained: “I think it’s a really interesting dynamic because we’ve always thought that Harry was under the thumb of Meghan, and that there wasn’t much give or take there.. And now there seems to be an understanding that he wants to have children with a British education, he wants to come back to his friends, I think he’s felt very isolated in California.”

In other developments, a property specialist suggested the family’s new residence might not be the most impressive for one significant reason.

Cal Graham, from We Buy Any Home, reckons this will be true if privacy and security are their primary priorities.

To prevent people from identifying their whereabouts, Cal suggests a “shielded” property would be the ideal choice, which doesn’t automatically mean a luxurious one.

Cal told us: “If the reports are correct, the most suitable property would probably be one that looks relatively unremarkable from the public road but offers considerable privacy once inside.

“A modern home on a privately managed estate, set well back from the road and shielded by mature landscaping, would attract far less attention than an instantly recognisable country mansion.”

Across the countryside are fields, earthworks and ruined buildings marking places where communities once lived, worked and farmed before their settlements shrank or disappeared altogether.

Some were abandoned during the later Middle Ages, when England was affected by population decline, disease and changes in farming. Others gradually dwindled over several centuries.

The abandoned villages of County Durham and Darlington (Image: ARCHIVE)

Historic England says more than 2,000 deserted medieval villages have been recorded nationally, with abandonment particularly common during the 14th and 15th centuries. Causes could include changes in land use, enclosure, economic decline and population losses associated with epidemics such as the Black Death.

Here are some of the lost, deserted and dramatically shrunken settlements that can be found in and around Darlington and County Durham.

Barforth, sometimes known as “Old Richmond”

Near Gainford, beside the River Tees, lie the remains of the medieval settlement of Barforth.

The site has long appeared under the intriguing name Old Richmond, although Historic England’s research records say the name is probably misleading.

Barforth was recorded in the Domesday Book and again in medieval documents between 1301 and 1334. Depopulation may have been reported there in 1517.

Historic records describe the settlement as having included streets and crofts, while surviving remains in the area include St Lawrence’s Chapel and a medieval dovecote. Barforth Hall survives nearby.

The alternative name Old Richmond may have developed because a de Roaldo de Richmond was recorded as holding Berford or Berforth in 1287, rather than because the settlement was an earlier version of Richmond itself.

Ulnaby

One of the best-preserved deserted medieval villages around Darlington can be found at Ulnaby, near High Coniscliffe.

The site is now a Scheduled Monument and contains extensive earthworks surrounding Ulnaby Hall.

Archaeological investigation found the remains of a planned two-row village arranged around a green. Rectangular plots represent medieval tofts and crofts, house plots with their associated yards and gardens, while a manorial enclosure included a fishpond and dovecote.

The abandoned villages of County Durham and Darlington (Image: ARCHIVE)

The settlement expanded and contracted over the centuries before gradually becoming smaller.

Historic England’s research indicates that Ulnaby Hall was established by the early 17th century on land previously occupied by village plots. Three cottages were still documented in 1629, while the last surviving medieval building disappeared sometime between 1855 and 1896.

Today the earthworks make Ulnaby an unusually clear archaeological example of how a medieval County Durham village was laid out.

Whessoe

The medieval village of Whessoe once stood on what became the northern side of Darlington, close to Whessoe Grange.

Unlike Ulnaby, much of the physical evidence for Whessoe has disappeared.

Historic England’s research records state that the deserted medieval village survived as visible earthworks until the early 1950s.

The remains in a field historically known as Village Field were subsequently bulldozed and ploughed. Large stones were reportedly encountered during the work, while only limited earthwork evidence remained afterwards.

The name survived even after the settlement itself had vanished, providing another reminder that modern Darlington has expanded across what was once a much more rural medieval landscape.

West Hartburn

Another important lost village lies near Middleton St George.

West Hartburn is recorded as a deserted medieval settlement and was first documented around 1200.

Remarkably, two rows of cottages with a central well were reportedly still standing as late as 1823, showing that the disappearance of a medieval settlement did not always happen suddenly.

Archaeological excavations uncovered longhouses and other buildings, together with a paved causeway.

Finds ranged from medieval pottery and a 14th-century dagger to coins and later objects showing occupation continuing beyond the Middle Ages. Surviving earthworks include house plots, crofts and a hollow way marking the route through the settlement.

Some features north-west of the hollow way have since been levelled, but earthworks on the opposite side were still identifiable in 2018 lidar data.

Archdeacon Newton

Just outside Darlington lies Archdeacon Newton, described in Historic England’s records as a shrunken medieval village.

It was associated with a manor belonging to the Archdeacon of Durham and its surviving archaeological remains include banks and ditches forming former enclosures, along with evidence connected with a manorial complex.

Surveys have recorded medieval settlement earthworks, ridge-and-furrow cultivation and evidence of a moated manor-house complex.

Unlike a completely deserted settlement, Archdeacon Newton never vanished entirely. Instead, the settlement contracted dramatically, leaving surviving buildings and farms surrounded by archaeological evidence of the community that once existed there.

Garmondsway

Farther north in County Durham, near Kelloe, is one of the county’s most impressive deserted medieval village sites.

Garmondsway is a Scheduled Monument containing both the abandoned village and part of its medieval field system.

Historic England describes the settlement as extensive and exceptionally well preserved.

At least 13 rectangular enclosures survive as earthworks, with some containing gardens, yards and foundations belonging to medieval longhouses. Two hollow ways, sunken routes worn through repeated use, also help reveal the former shape of the settlement.

Part of the surrounding ridge-and-furrow field system survives alongside it, meaning the site preserves evidence not just of where villagers lived but also of the farmland on which their community depended.

Old Wingate

Near modern Wingate and Wheatley Hill are the remains of another largely abandoned medieval community.

Old Wingate is recorded as a deserted medieval village with its associated open-field system.

Earthworks show former house plots and crofts arranged around a central village green. In places, stone foundations belonging to buildings can still be identified.

The surviving archaeology also includes ridge-and-furrow cultivation and other earthworks associated with the medieval agricultural landscape.

Modern farms occupy part of the area, so Old Wingate is another example of a medieval settlement whose footprint is considerably larger than the community surviving there today.

The incident took place in July, at the same time as a series of attacks on US water infrastructure which sparked worry in the White House and affected 12 states

A power plant in Great Britain was forced to close for four days after a cyber attack by Iran-linked hackers, it has been revealed.

According to reports, the facility was disabled “while staff fought to bring it back online” after the attack last month – the exact location of the site has not been revealed due to security reasons.

It is, however, understood that the plant affected was not one of the biggest sites in the country, according to the Telegraph. Due to the relatively small nature of the plant, the outage had no impact on the UK’s wider power supply or energy generation. This has been confirmed by the Government, which has described the UK’s energy system as ‘highly resilient.

The incident took place in July, at the same time as a series of attacks on US water infrastructure – those attacks affected 12 states and caused concern in the White House.

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In response, the Government briefed the chief executives of power companies and wrote to businesses with advice, direction and next steps.

A Government source told the Telegraph: “We have thresholds for important generators to legally notify us of cyber activity, and this site is nowhere near. It’s a very small scale site, less than a rounding error compared to grid capacity.”

A Government spokesman said: “The UK has a highly resilient energy system. We work closely with the energy sector to protect infrastructure and ensure the highest security standards.

“This story refers to an incident impacting a small-scale energy generator, and at no point was there a risk to the wider energy system.”

The tragedy prompted other police forces to send their condolences with Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, saying: “The loss of two dedicated officers in the line of duty is felt profoundly across the entire policing family and I have personally reached out to Chief Constable Victoria Fuller today, to extend our sincere sympathies.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Buffalo Bills are giving defensive tackle Ed Oliver support and space following the accidental death of his 2-year-old son.

Oliver has been grieving throughout training camp and many of his teammates only learned of the tragic accident on Friday. Following Saturday’s 31-7 preseason win over the Browns, Bills quarterback Josh Allen said the team is standing with Oliver.

“Obviously, very unfortunate what happened and as a teammate of him, as someone in this locker room, all we can do is love on him,” Allen said. “There’s nothing that you can say to make the situation any better except being there in whatever ways he needs.

“That’s what we’re going to continue to do. That’s what teammates do. You love up on each other when we’re down, and I can’t imagine what he’s going through. But the way that he’s dealt with it has been unbelievable.”

Oliver has asked for privacy and prayers while still mourning his son, who was also named Ed. The toddler was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in a residential pool in Harris County, Texas, on June 28, a person briefed on what happened told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the team and player have not revealed that information.

Without providing many details including names or ages, the Harris County Sheriff’s department posted a note on its Facebook account that evening regarding the drowning of a toddler in a neighborhood community north of Houston.

“This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with the toddler’s family during this incredibly difficult time. The investigation is ongoing,” the post read.

A sheriff’s official told The Associated Press on Saturday that a report was not immediately available.

Before Saturday’s game, Bills general manager Brandon Beane issued a statement expressing his and the organization’s condolences.

“It’s an unthinkable tragedy for any parent. We will continue to support Ed and his family as we grieve this tragic loss,” Beane said.

Bills first-year coach Joe Brady was equally compassionate toward Oliver, who is in his eighth season with Buffalo.

“Ever since I found out the news, I can’t fathom what he’s going through,” Brady said. “As a coach and a father, there really aren’t words to describe it. It’s all about us loving him and giving him the privacy that he deserves.

“It’s hard when I see him. I don’t have the words, but all I can do is support him in whatever way he needs.”

The 28-year-old Oliver was selected by the Bills in the first round of the 2019 draft out of Houston.

Oliver reported for training camp on time last month and appeared with the starters in the Bills’ preseason-opening 29-14 win over Carolina last weekend. He has not practiced this week because of an undisclosed injury.

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Wawrow reported from Buffalo, New York.

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See AP’s full NFL coverage here

A Texas judge denied a new trial for Karmelo Anthony on Saturday in the stabbing death of a 17-year-old athlete at a high school track meet, a killing that drew national attention and led to harassment of the families.

Anthony, 19, was convicted of murder in June and sentenced to 35 years in prison for the April 2025 killing of Austin Metcalf, 17.

Judge Michael Chitty denied the retrial motion in a half-page order following a two-day hearing this week near Dallas, citing a review of the evidence and arguments. He did not elaborate.

Russell Wilson, Anthony’s attorney, said the defense would appeal.

“Our commitment to our client has not changed,” Wilson said. “We will continue to advocate vigorously on his behalf through every lawful avenue available.”

Prosecutor Bill Wirskye defended the trial as fair this week.

“We respect, and expected, the court’s decision denying the motion for a new trial,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said after the denial was announced. “The jury’s guilty verdict stands, and we remain confident in the process. Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week’s hearing.”

Anthony’s attorneys also demanded a retrial because they said trial judge John Roach’s courtroom rules were so strict that they limited the public’s access to the proceedings. And in asking for Roach’s recusal, they noted that he gave a posttrial interview with a Dallas TV station in which he said the jury “got it right.”

Roach said his rules were necessary for a fair trial, and prosecutors insisted he did nothing wrong.

The case attracted widespread attention in part because of a flood of social media posts that amplified the killing in racial terms. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white. Lawyers on both sides, however, told jurors that the case had nothing to do with race.

Jurors rejected Anthony’s claims that he was defending himself during a confrontation with Metcalf in the bleachers of the track meet.

When Trump Mobile was launched by US President Donald Trump’s eldest sons in the summer of 2025, the company advertised that a “T1” smartphone would be built in the US and shipped to customers within months.

Over the last year, key details about the phone’s manufacture, design and delivery date have changed, and some customers are still waiting for their phones – as Thomas Copeland explains.

Produced by Aisha Sembhi. Graphics by Mesut Ersoz.

Kelly Rowland has replaced LeAnn Rimes on the programme, who was only involved for one series.

The 45-year-old rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny’s Child.

She joins Tom Jones, will.i.am, Tom Fletcher and Danny Jones among the coaches.

When she was announced on the show, Rowland said: “I am excited to join The Voice UK as a coach, and am looking forward to working with the excellent and passionate coaches the show is known for.

“I can’t wait to hear all the new talent and go to battle for my team.

“Let’s go!”

Emma Willis is also back presenting, though it remains unclear if she will return as host for the future, as she is now one of three presenters on Strictly Come Dancing.

Speaking about Rowland joining the show on Digital Spy, Willis said: “She’s just incredible.

“She’s everything you’d want from a coach. I was in awe of her!

“Her energy is fun and vibrant, and she’s incredibly compassionate.

“She started her career when she was very young, and has been doing what she does for a really long time.

“She knows how to navigate the music industry and how to look after someone.”

Who is Kelly Rowland?

Rowland was one of the members of Destiny’s Child, which is one of the world’s best-selling girl groups.

During the group’s three-year hiatus, she released her debut solo album, Simply Deep, in 2002, which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and sold more than five million copies worldwide.

The album included the Billboard Hot 100 number one single Dilemma (with Nelly), as well as the UK hits Stole and Can’t Nobody.

Following the disbanding of Destiny’s Child in 2006, Rowland released her second solo album, Ms. Kelly, in 2007, which produced the international hits Like This (featuring Eve) and Work.

Rowland explored electronic dance music on her third solo album, Here I Am (2011), which spawned the UK hit singles Commander (featuring David Guetta), Down for Whatever and What a Feeling, as well as the electro-R&B single Motivation (featuring Lil Wayne).

Recommended reading:

She was a judge on the eighth season of The X Factor UK in 2011, as well as the third season of The X Factor USA in 2013, and also served as a coach on The Voice Australia from 2017 to 2020.

Her work has earned her several awards and nominations, including four Grammy Awards, one Billboard Music Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards.

Will you be watching The Voice UK 2026? Let us know in the comments.

By ROGER DOBSON

Published: 22:01 BST, 22 August 2026 | Updated: 01:02 BST, 23 August 2026

Rhys Whittock, who is regarded as one of the nation’s leading Prince Harry lookalikes, is already being flooded with enquiries after news broke that Harry and Meghan are planning to move back to Britain

A man who looks remarkably like Prince Harry could see business boom now the Sussex’s have confirmed they are returning to the UK.

Prince Harry and Meghan plan to move back to Britain in a shock development more than six years after they relocated to the US. The Sussexes are returning to the UK later this month – making their home in a non-royal residence outside of London – and have already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools.

It is understood there will be no change to Harry and Meghan’s role and status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family. They are expected to remain financially independent and continue their commercial and charitable work, while Harry is not expected to undertake official royal duties.

This is fantastic news for Rhys Whittock, who is regarded as one of the nation’s leading Prince Harry lookalikes, is already being flooded with enquiries after news broke this week, reports Daily Star.

Rhys says his resemblance to Harry has remained remarkably consistent over the years, something he believes has helped him stay at the top of his game and ahead of his rivals. Rhys normally earns a couple of hundred pounds per appearance, although fees and perks vary depending on the job.

One of his wildest jobs took him all the way to Macau, China, where he was hired for a billionaire’s birthday party. He added: “It was an incredible experience. I got to stay in a beautiful hotel and was treated like royalty. I’ve travelled all over the world doing this job, and that’s one of the best things about it.”

Now, he expects Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain to bring another surge in demand. He added: “I’m expecting it to get super busy now. This is definitely good news for me.”

Alongside his lookalike work, Rhys is an estate agent, meaning Harry’s return could give him the perfect excuse to combine both careers. He joked: “Harry is going to be looking for a house, so I’d happily show him around some suitable properties. I’d be more than happy to help him find a palace.”

Rhys shared: “I’d love to meet Harry one day, shake his hand and thank him. He has genuinely changed my life. I wouldn’t have met my wife or had my daughter, who we named after Princess Diana, as I met my wife at a London Fashion Week event during an appearance as Harry.”

Rhys also hopes Harry would see the funny side of his unusual career.