Prince Harry's uncertainty about his upcoming trip to the UK next week is causing 'frustration' within Palace walls, sources have claimed. The Duke of Sussex is due to return in just a few days for engagements and to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham. This comes amid his ongoing legal battle to reinstate taxpayer-funded security, removed after he stepped down as a senior working royal in 2020.
Last-Minute Decision on Family Visit
According to The Sun, Harry's decision on whether Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will join him will be made at the 'last minute.' His security team is still 'looking at options' to make the family visit work 'in some form.' Palace sources described the Sussexes' 'will they, won't they' drama as causing 'frustration,' with people becoming 'wary and weary' of their return.
Security Review Delays
Harry was awaiting a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) process that rules on his security requirements. However, he learned last week that the review has yet to take place. When the duke lost a Court of Appeal challenge against the Home Office last year, he expressed hopes for family reconciliation in a BBC interview, revealing that King Charles would not speak to him due to the security court case.
Official Statements
A spokesperson for Prince Harry stated: 'Prince Harry’s programme in the United Kingdom includes both public and private engagements across the country. Safe accommodation is only one element of an effective protective security plan because risk follows the person, not the place. The issue has never been accommodation. The issue is whether appropriate and proportionate protective security is being provided throughout the entirety of the visit.' They added: 'The duke continues to explore every available option to enable the visit to proceed safely and to give his children the opportunity to enjoy the UK.'
A Government spokesperson responded: 'The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.'
