LONDON — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to the United Kingdom has been financially supported in part by British hedge fund billionaire Ian Wace, a longtime friend of the couple, according to multiple sources cited by Page Six in the days following the family's relocation from California.

Wace, 63, is the founding partner, chief executive and chief risk officer of Marshall Wace LLP, one of the world's largest hedge fund firms, founded in 1997. His estimated net worth stands at roughly $1.2 billion, according to Page Six's reporting. Two sources told the outlet that Wace has been helping finance the Sussexes' move back to Britain, though he is not believed to be covering the full cost of their relocation or ongoing expenses.

Harry, Meghan and their two children, 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet, flew privately from Los Angeles to Birmingham on Aug. 26, a trip Page Six reported cost approximately $120,000. The couple's plans to return to the UK were first reported Aug. 20, with details of Wace's financial involvement emerging in the days that followed.

Wace and Harry's friendship extends beyond financial support and reportedly carries deep personal significance for both men. In 1994, Wace's first wife, Joanna, and their two young children, 4-year-old Guy and 11-month-old Alice, were killed in a car accident in Hampshire. Wace himself had been sitting in the passenger seat........

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