Prince Harry may have to abandon plans to bring his children to the UK next month to visit the grave of his mother, Princess Diana, after being denied taxpayer-funded security, according to reports. The Duke of Sussex had intended to travel with his wife Meghan and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, in July for their first family trip to the UK in four years.
Security Decision Sparks Reconsideration
BBC News reported that the plans are being reconsidered after Harry was informed on Friday that no state-funded security would be provided for the visit. The decision came just two days after details of the trip were announced. The duke is believed to have been 'distraught' at the news, but according to the BBC, he would 'still like to find a way to make the trip work'.
The visit was set to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games, which will be hosted in Birmingham in July 2027. Harry was due to attend celebrations launching the build-up to the event and visit two charities he supports: WellChild and Scotty's Little Soldiers.
Planned Visit to Diana's Grave
The Sun reported that Harry also planned to take Archie and Lilibet to visit their grandmother's grave for the first time. Princess Diana was buried on an island in the middle of the ornamental Round Oval Lake at the Althorp Estate, where she grew up, following her death at age 36 in a Paris car crash in August 1997. The visit would have occurred in the days after what would have been Diana's 65th birthday.
Ongoing Security Concerns
The issue of security in the UK has been a major sticking point for Harry in recent years. His protection level changed when he stepped down as a working royal in 2020, and last year he lost a legal battle to overturn that downgrade. Harry has previously argued that safety worries were a major factor preventing him from bringing his wife and children to the UK.
Reports claim the Sussexes were given assurances that mitigated Harry's concerns, but the recent security decision has thrown the trip into doubt. Archie and Lilibet have not seen their grandfather, King Charles, in person for four years, since the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. Harry last saw his father in September last year when they had tea together at Clarence House in London, their first face-to-face meeting since February 2024.
A final decision on the family's UK trip is expected in the coming days, according to the BBC.
