Following the rejection of his bid for taxpayer-funded security, the Duke of Sussex is said to be reassessing whether to proceed with plans to visit the United Kingdom next month alongside his wife and children.
Plans were reportedly underway for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to return to Britain with their family for the first time in four years during events surrounding the Invictus Games set to be held in Birmingham this July.
Reports last week suggested Prince Harry was looking forward to having Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, spend time again with King Charles III during the planned visit. However, uncertainty has emerged over the family’s trip after authorities rejected his request for police security coverage beyond royal properties.
Responding on Sunday, a government spokesperson said the UK’s security arrangements are carefully assessed and applied based on necessity, adding that authorities do not publicly discuss operational details because doing so could undermine the system and put individuals at risk.
Sources said Prince Harry was deeply disappointed by the decision, which reportedly came only days before the planned arrival, though he was still said to be exploring options that could allow the visit to go ahead.
Last year, Prince Harry failed in his court challenge against the UK Home Office over access to automatic police security during visits to Britain, after previously arguing that bringing his family to the country without such protection posed safety concerns.
Since then, Prince Harry has undergone a comprehensive security risk review and has been waiting for a final ruling from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, the Home Office body responsible for determining eligibility for such protection arrangements.
Decisions made by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee are overseen by an independent chair, while its membership includes representatives from the royal household, the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, and the Metropolitan Police.
The Home Secretary — currently Shabana Mahmood — is not involved in making individual decisions taken by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee.
Prince Harry and King Charles III met at Clarence House last September in what marked their first in-person meeting since February 2024, a development widely viewed as an early sign of efforts to rebuild their relationship.
King Charles III has not met his youngest grandchildren in person since 2022, when they attended events marking the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
It remains uncertain whether King Charles III had plans to see the children during the proposed visit next month. However, reports suggest Prince Harry had told friends in the United States that he was looking forward to his children spending time again with their grandfather.
A business associate based in Los Angeles and familiar with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — who live in Montecito — told the Telegraph that relations between King Charles III and his youngest son had begun to improve after a period of tension that followed Harry’s public criticism in his memoir, Spare, and subsequent television interviews.
