Prince Harry has had a wrench thrown in his plans for a family reunion, with his application for security being rejected at the last minute.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 44, are just one week away from returning to the UK, bringing along their two children – Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five – to their father’s home country for the first time in four years.
Prince Harry and Meghan’s two children will see their grandfather in person for the first time since June 2022 when they were in the UK as a family of four. Instagram/@Meghan
Many hope that this trip will mean that the feud between the royal family members is thawing once and for all.
However, The Telegraph UK reports that Harry’s plans may have been foiled by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which has denied his application for protection for his family.
The Sussexes were expected to make their first trip back to the UK in four years. Instagram/meghan
A source told the outlet that Britain’s Home Office is “wilfully creating conditions that are making it nearly impossible” for the family to move around the country on their trip.
The denial of this protection means that, other than when on royal grounds, the Sussex family will not receive taxpayer-funded police protection.
This was the main condition on which Harry has brought his children, having fought for the protection in court over several years.
In 2025, he lost his bid to get protection for his family, after which he told the BBC in a May interview, “I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.
“I love my country, I always have done, despite what some people in that country have done.”
In January this year, a fresh risk assessment was carried out by RAVEC, with reports at the time suggesting that Harry had finally won his bid to get taxpayer-funded security for his family.
At the time, the results of the assessment were not made public. However, it now seems that it did not work in Harry’s favour after all.
It comes as his father, King Charles, offered a royal residence for the Sussex family to stay in during their trip.
It is not known which estate the king has offered for Harry’s visit, although it is likely to be one of the private residences used by the royals.
But there are conflicting reports over whether Prince Harry has actually accepted the offer of accommodation, and police protection, from his father. If he has, it opens up questions about which property the Sussexes will temporarily call home.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are travelling to the UK in July for events connected with the Invictus Games.
King Charles extended an invitation to his son and his family. UK Press via Getty Images
Meghan is expected to join her husband for the one-year to go launch event on July 17, promoting the Invictus Games ahead of the tournament in Birmingham next year.
Prince Harry will also carry out engagements connected with his remaining patronages, such as WellChild and Scotty’s Little Soldiers.