Prince Harry’s hopes of bringing Meghan Markle and their children to the UK next month are now in doubt after a decision over security arrangements.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had planned to travel to Britain as a family for the first time in four years while Harry attended events connected to the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham in July. Harry was reportedly looking forward to Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, spending time with King Charles during the visit.
The Sussexes were expected to spend about five days in the UK.
During the trip, Meghan was set to join Prince Harry at several public events in London and the Midlands. The visit was planned to coincide with the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, which Harry founded to support wounded, injured, and sick service members and veterans.
Harry was also expected to visit several UK charities he has continued to support since moving to California.
According to the BBC, Prince Harry and Meghan’s representatives said the couple had accepted King Charles’ offer to stay at a royal residence during their planned UK visit, although the exact location was never revealed.
However, Buckingham Palace sources said they had not received confirmation that the offer had been accepted. The couple were also expected to stay at private accommodation during part of their time in the UK.
However, those plans have been thrown into uncertainty after the government declined Harry’s request for police protection outside royal residences.
Per The Guardian, A source close to Harry said he was “distraught” by the decision and would not risk bringing his children to the UK if they could be followed by paparazzi. The source said Harry is exploring other security options but is unsure whether the trip can still happen.
“Their plans to see family, friends, and charities important to Harry have been pulled out from under their feet at the last minute,” the source told The Guardian. “He’s looking at every possible option to bring his family to the UK safely.”
If the visit does not go ahead, it would mean King Charles will miss another chance to see Archie and Lilibet. The last time the monarch saw his youngest grandchildren in person was during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
Last year, Harry lost a court battle over his right to automatic police protection while visiting Britain. He has since received a new risk assessment and was waiting for a final decision from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which oversees security arrangements for members of the royal family and other protected individuals.
A government spokesperson said the UK’s security system is “rigorous and proportionate” but declined to comment on individual protection arrangements.
Harry last met King Charles in London in September 2025, a meeting that was widely viewed as a step toward repairing their relationship. A business associate of Harry and Meghan recently told The Telegraph there has been a “warming of the frost” between father and son following years of public tension.
A final decision on whether the trip will go ahead—and whether Meghan and the couple’s children will join Prince Harry—is expected in the coming days.
