Prince Harry to Visit UK Without Meghan and Children Amid Security Concerns
Prince Harry will travel to the United Kingdom next week without his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their two children after it was confirmed the family would not receive taxpayer-funded police protection during the London portion of the visit.
Meghan, along with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, had originally been expected to accompany the Duke of Sussex. However, the plans were changed following concerns over security arrangements, with sources indicating that the absence of official police protection made the London visit unsuitable for the family.
Prince Harry is still expected to carry out his scheduled engagements in London, including meetings at the Royal Hospital Chelsea related to the upcoming Invictus Games. Meghan will no longer attend those events alongside her husband.
It remains possible that the Duchess of Sussex and their children could join Prince Harry later in the week when his visit moves to Birmingham. Discussions regarding security arrangements for that part of the trip are reportedly continuing, although no final decision has been made.
The revised itinerary has also created uncertainty over whether King Charles III will meet his grandchildren, whom he has not seen in person for four years. London had been considered the most likely setting for a family reunion after the Duke and Duchess accepted an invitation to stay at a royal residence during their visit.
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on private family matters, while the King is expected to continue with a number of public engagements throughout the week.
Following his London engagements, Prince Harry will travel to Birmingham on Thursday to visit the city’s children’s hospital in support of WellChild, a charity he has continued to champion since stepping back from royal duties and relocating to the United States.
If Meghan later joins the trip, she is expected to accompany Prince Harry at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre to mark the one-year countdown to the city hosting the next Invictus Games.
There had also been reports that the family planned to visit Althorp in Northamptonshire, the ancestral home of Prince Harry’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. The visit was expected to include a private moment at Diana’s gravesite with Meghan and their children.
According to sources close to the Sussexes, the decision to cancel the London portion of the family’s visit followed a review by Prince Harry’s personal security team. Concerns reportedly centred on the absence of an updated security assessment by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), the body responsible for determining protective security for senior royals and other high-profile individuals.
Prince Harry’s dispute over security arrangements has continued since he stepped back as a senior working royal in 2020. He has challenged the government’s decision that his security should be assessed on a case-by-case basis whenever he visits the UK.
The Duke has previously stated that he would not feel comfortable bringing his wife and children to Britain without enhanced security measures. Since leaving royal duties, Prince Harry has returned to the UK on several occasions alone, while he and Meghan were last together in Britain during the funeral of Elizabeth II in 2022.
