On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Deep Dive podcast, veteran royal reporter Richard Kay joins host Chris Pleasance to discuss the potential ramifications of Harry and Meghan's surprise return to Britain.

Senior Editor-at-Large Kay, who has covered the royal family for over forty years, raised the spectre of the Sussexes' homecoming triggering a 'rival courts' scenario, whereby those close to the monarchy are forced to choose sides.

He suggested figures will gather around Harry and Meghan, and with there currently being 'no relationship' between the Prince and his brother William, a split forming in royal circles seems all the more likely.

The family touched down in the UK by private jet on Wednesday, just a week after news broke of their intention to return. The couple are reportedly renting a home in the Cotswolds, with Archie and Lilibet said to be enrolled at schools in the area.

'The whole thing opens up the prospect of rival courts', Kay told Deep Dive.

'By that I mean, figures are going to gather around Harry and Meghan and then there will be those who are going to stay loyal to William and Catherine, and I suppose the King and Queen.

'That will be an issue that the Royal family, as an institution, will be concerned about.

'Is Harry going to assemble a sort of Praetorian guard of people who are going to be out - supporting him? Maybe giving interviews, letting people know a bit about what they're up to? That would be concerning.

'When Harry arrived in America, a lot of A-list celebrities were fascinated by this disgruntled prince and wanted to get to know him. I think the same is going to apply now.

'People are going to be fascinated by what happens next. This sort of rivalry between him and William, the unresolved issues… I hate to say it, but for the royals, it will be a massive diversion from what they do.'

Elsewhere in the podcast, Kay said the 'most extraordinary development' to emerge in the past week was that news of Harry and Meghan's return appears to have blindsided the King.

Reports suggest that Charles only learned of his son's intentions three days before the decision was made public, despite the pair meeting privately at Highgrove just six weeks earlier.

Kay said the sense of surprise is 'classic Harry and Meghan', who have a track record of wrongfooting the family.

'Harry and Meghan must have been searching out schools and properties. You can't do these things in isolation, people have to know.

'Was the King blindsided? It certainly looks like that. It does seem incredible that he was only told almost at the last minute.

'The whole thing, it's a sort of classic piece of Harry and Meghan, it's how they've approached their lives. They're constantly trying to catch people on the hop.

'They present situations like: this is it. It's not, 'we're coming home, should we have a discussion about it?' It's, 'We're coming home - live with it.' Full stop.'

Listen to the full episode, where Kay discusses how Harry could win the public back on side, by searching for Deep Dive, wherever you get your podcasts.