Prince Harry Considers Scrapping UK Trip Following Denial of Police Protection

The Duke of Sussex is reportedly reconsidering plans to bring his wife and children to the UK next month after his request for taxpayer‑funded police protection was denied.

Prince Harry and Meghan had been planning their first family visit to Britain in four years to attend events linked to the Invictus Games, scheduled for Birmingham in July.

Last week Prince Harry was said to be “excited” about reuniting his seven‑year‑old son Archie and five‑year‑old daughter Lilibet with King Charles during the trip. However, the visit now looks uncertain after the government refused his request for police protection outside royal residences.

A government spokesperson commented on Sunday: “The UK’s protective security arrangements are rigorous and proportionate. Our longstanding policy is not to disclose details of these measures, as doing so could undermine their effectiveness and jeopardise individuals’ safety.”

Harry was described as “distraught” by the decision, which came just days before the planned arrival, yet he remained eager to find a way to make the visit happen.

A spokesperson for the Sussexes has been approached for comment.

Last year Harry lost a legal challenge against the Home Office regarding automatic police protection while in the UK, after previously arguing that it would be unsafe to bring his family without such coverage.

Since then he has received a full risk assessment and had been awaiting a final ruling from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), the Home Office body that authorises such protection.

RAVEC decisions are made by an independent chair, with membership drawn from the royal household, the Home Office, the Cabinet Office and the Metropolitan Police.

The home secretary, currently Shabana Mahmood, does not participate in individual RAVEC decisions.

Harry met his father last September at Clarence House in London, marking their first in‑person encounter since February 2024 and viewed as an initial step toward improving their relationship.

King Charles has not seen his youngest grandchildren in person since 2022, during the late Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee celebrations.

It remains unclear whether the king intended to meet the children during next month’s visit. However, Harry has reportedly told friends in the United States that he was eager for his children to reconnect with their paternal grandfather.

An LA‑based business associate of Harry and Meghan, who reside in Montecito, California, told the Telegraph that there had been a “warming of the frost” between the king and his youngest son following Harry’s public criticisms in his memoir *Spare* and subsequent television interviews.

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