Prince Harry may not bring his wife, Meghan, and their two children to Britain next month for a series of planned events after his request for taxpayer-funded security was denied. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had intended to travel to the UK for a five-day visit in early July to attend engagements related to the Invictus Games and his charitable patronages.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were expected to accompany their parents, though they were not slated to participate in any public engagements. The Duke was reportedly informed that his application for a security detail funded by taxpayers had been rejected shortly after the trip's details were announced. A source close to the couple accused the Home Office and the relevant security assessment committee of deliberately creating an environment that makes it difficult for them to travel within Britain.
While Prince Harry has often expressed a willingness to manage security challenges, concerns have been raised about the potential impact on Archie and Lilibet should any security incidents occur. Harry has previously stated that security issues have hindered his ability to bring his family to Britain since his security arrangements changed in 2020 after he stepped back as a working royal. At that time, he lost his round-the-clock Metropolitan Police protection and now relies on armed police bodyguards on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of his visit, whether it is for family, private, or commercial reasons.
Reports have suggested that the Sussexes had received assurances regarding the visit. However, sources emphasize that security arrangements are under the purview of the Home Office, and King Charles plays no part in the decision-making process. Prince Harry last met his father, who is undergoing cancer treatment, in September. The children have not seen their grandfather in person since their last visit to Britain in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The Duchess of Sussex has not undertaken an extended trip to the UK since the late Queen's funeral in September 2022, apart from brief stopovers in London during international tours.
During their planned visit, the family was reportedly set to visit the grave of Princess Diana at Althorp House in Northamptonshire. Princess Diana is interred on an island within an ornamental lake on the Althorp estate. Althorp House served as Diana's home from her parents' divorce until her marriage to Charles. She died in 1997 from injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris. Prince Harry was 12 years old at the time of her death. In 2022, on the 25th anniversary of his mother's death, Harry brought Meghan to Althorp, rowing her to the island where Diana is buried. He described this moment in his memoir, "Spare," writing, "At long last I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet Mum."