Meghan Markle Returns to the UK, British Citizenship Talk Grows
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- Meghan Markle dikabarkan tengah mempertimbangkan untuk mengaktifkan kembali proses naturalisasi yang sempat tertunda sejak 2020.
- Kepindahan keluarganya ke Inggris memunculkan spekulasi bahwa ia akan memenuhi syarat tinggal minimal tiga tahun dan uji kewarganegaraan.
- Statusnya sebagai anggota non-kerja kerajaan tetap tidak berubah, sehingga jalur hukum dan simbolisme politiknya menjadi sorotan.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is reported to potentially resume a long-dormant naturalization process after her move with Prince Harry and their two children to the UK last August. The step revives questions about whether she will pursue the British citizenship path that was once expected after her 2018 marriage.
The Sussex family now resides at a private residence outside London, while their children, Archie and Lilibet, have started school in the UK. They nonetheless maintain ties to the United States. According to a source cited by Radar Online, the move has changed Meghan's calculus; she had previously postponed the process because she was living in California after Megxit.
A source said British citizenship was something Meghan sincerely wanted to attain when she married Harry. "At the time she believed the UK would be her permanent home, so becoming a citizen was a natural part of building a life here," the source said. But after Megxit and settling in America, there was no practical reason to continue the process. Now, with a return to the UK, that option could resurface.
Under Home Office rules, marriage to a British citizen does not automatically confer citizenship status. Applicants through the spouse route must have lived in the UK for at least three years, hold permanent residence, and meet requirements on presence, language knowledge, and good character. When she married in May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Meghan herself stated her intention to follow the ordinary process without special treatment.
"Choosing British citizenship now would be a remarkable change from the circumstances when she left," the source said, adding that there is strong symbolism behind the decision.
Despite the geographic return, Meghan and Harry's status within the royal sphere is unchanged. King Charles III has issued official guidance confirming that the two are "no longer working members of the Royal Family" and that there has been no change in status following their move. The guidance describes their charitable work as a personal matter carried out in a private capacity. "Their position is similar to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests," the statement read.
Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Meghan and Harry have built independent commercial careers in California, including Netflix documentary projects and Meghan's lifestyle brand, As ever. Now, with a return to the UK, questions arise over whether Meghan will actually take the citizenship test or whether it will remain mere talk. Either way, the step would be a significant marker in a new chapter of her family's life in Britain.
For the Indonesian public, this story reflects how strict immigration law still applies even to public figures who marry a local citizen. The lengthy naturalization process and complex administrative requirements serve as a reminder that citizenship status is not an automatic gift, but the result of procedures that must be followed. If Meghan does apply, it could be an interesting precedent for how global celebrities interact with a country's legal system.
