The Duchess of Sussex is reportedly planning her first trip to the United Kingdom in four years. Meghan Markle is expected to accompany her husband, Prince Harry, to a promotional event for the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
Security Concerns Dictate Travel Plans
According to a report in The Sun on Sunday, the Duchess's attendance is contingent upon one critical factor: the reinstatement of the couple's right to armed police protection in the UK. This follows Prince Harry's unsuccessful legal challenge against the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) in May last year. The committee had withdrawn his automatic, taxpayer-funded security after he stepped back as a working royal.
The legal defeat means the Duke must now apply for security on a case-by-case basis, requiring a 30-day notice to the Metropolitan Police before any visit. Harry and his legal team have consistently argued that this arrangement does not provide adequate safety for his family, especially for his wife and their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It remains unclear if the children will travel for this potential visit.
A Path Towards Reinstated Protection?
Despite the court ruling, which Harry described as a "good old fashioned establishment stitch up," there may be a path forward. The Duke filed a request to the Home Secretary for a full risk assessment, which was granted. Sources close to the Sussexes, cited by The Times, are hopeful that Ravec will agree to reinstate police protection for the Birmingham trip.
The event in question is a series of promotional activities to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in 2027. Nations' representatives have been invited to attend. The Duke founded the Games for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.
A Rare Return and Strained Family Ties
If the visit proceeds, it will mark Meghan's first time on British soil since September 2022, when she attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Her children have not visited since the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June of that same year.
The potential trip unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing family tensions. The Duke has been estranged from his brother, the Prince of Wales, following a series of public accusations made in interviews, a Netflix documentary, and his autobiography, Spare. However, Harry's private meeting with King Charles in London last September suggested tentative steps towards reconciliation, though he has expressed doubts about being fully forgiven by his family.
Meghan has remained a supportive figure for the Invictus Games cause, attending events in Canada in 2023 and 2024, and the Dusseldorf countdown ceremony in 2022. All eyes will now be on the Home Office and Ravec's impending security decision, which will ultimately determine if this significant royal return goes ahead.
