Meghan Markle has given the first glimpse of family life back in Britain in a video posted to Instagram.

The 34-second clip posted on Monday (Australian time) shows the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s kids Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, making the most of the outdoors — riding a bicycle, splashing in muddy puddles and fishing with dad Prince Harry.

Meghan and Harry are shown walking hand in hand on a country path, as their beloved black Labrador, Pula, bounds through the grass.

In another brief moment, a child’s bare feet are being warmed by a crackling fireplace.

The precise location of the footage has not been revealed, but the video is decorated with a British flag and love heart emoji and is the first since the family arrived back in Harry’s homeland after leaving California.

The duke and ‌duchess and their two children returned to live in Britain last month, six years after ‌stepping down from royal duties and moving to the US during a period of estrangement and awkward relations with the royal family.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are expected to have either started or being about to start school in Britain.

Precise details about where the family is living and the school the children will attend are being kept private.

However, they will not be living in a royal residence or carrying out official duties.

Harry and Meghan left ‌for the US in 2020, ⁠stepping down from official royal duties to chart independent careers. But they never left the headlines as the prince accused his family of neglect, the tabloid press of ruining his life and the British government of failing to provide enough security for him to ever return home.

The return was a surprise even to close family with Harry’s father, the King, told only days before the news became public.

Last week, in a letter authorised by the King ‌and sent to ‌senior British officials, it was made clear that Harry and Meghan were ​no longer working members of the royal family.

A spokesperson for the couple said they learned of the letter only shortly before it was sent, and were surprised by it.

The letter said their status, originally agreed with the late Queen Elizabeth in 2020, gave the duke and duchess ⁠personal latitude “in respect of financial independence and protection of their ‌privacy ​as they would wish”.

“It follows that there is no change to the current status of the ​Duke and ‌Duchess of Sussex … The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter ​for them both and undertaken in their private capacity,” it said.

“In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”

-with AAP