Prince Harry is reconsidering plans to bring his wife and children to the United Kingdom next month after his request for police protection was rejected, the BBC understands. The Duke of Sussex, his wife Meghan and their two young children had been due to make a family visit to the UK for the first time in four years, but the question of security has now thrown those arrangements into doubt.
At the heart of the issue is a formal request the couple submitted for police security during their time in the country. According to the BBC, they were told that no taxpayer-funded security would be provided. Without that protection in place, the prospect of travelling as a family, particularly with two young children, has become far more complicated for the Duke.
The planned trip would have marked a significant moment for the family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were last in Britain four years ago, when they joined events celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. It was during that visit that the King last saw his two grandchildren in person, making the prospect of a return especially notable for the wider royal family.
The family of four had been due to return next month, with plans to spend part of the trip staying on a royal estate as a guest of the King. The royal residence where they would have based themselves had not been made public. The visit was being arranged with a degree of discretion, but the security question has now overshadowed the practical planning.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, had been planning to join her husband for a number of public engagements during the trip, with appearances expected in London and the Midlands. The visit was also timed to mark the start of a year-long countdown to the Invictus Games, the sporting event for injured military personnel founded by the Duke, which is due to be held in Birmingham next July.
For now, the family's plans hang in the balance. The BBC reports that a decision on whether Prince Harry's wife and children will travel to the UK is expected to be made in the coming days. The outcome is likely to hinge on whether a workable security arrangement can be found, after the refusal of taxpayer-funded police protection left the trip in question.