Prince Harry is expected to return to the UK next week for a busy schedule of charitable engagements, but a notable absence is expected to overshadow the visit.
According to Sky News, the Duke of Sussex will undertake a series of engagements in the capital, including meetings related to the Invictus Games and visits to charities he has long supported.
However, the Duchess of Sussex, along with Archie and Lilibet, will remain in California.
Harry had reportedly hoped to bring his family to Birmingham for an event marking the first anniversary of the 2027 Invictus Games, but ongoing concerns over security appear to have changed those plans.
While it is unclear whether Meghan and the children could join the Duke elsewhere in the UK, sources suggest London is not on the family’s itinerary due to unresolved security arrangements.
It’s been four years since Archie and Lilibet last saw their grandfather, King Charles, in person, and the monarch has reportedly offered accommodation at a royal residence if the family decides to travel.
Harry has been stuck in a long-running dispute over his level of protection in Britain after losing taxpayer-funded police security when he stepped down from royal duties in 2020.
Although he unsuccessfully challenged the decision in court, he is still awaiting a review of his case after personally requesting a review.
The Duke has already raised the issue.
“I don’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this stage,” Harry said after his legal defeat over security measures last year.
Harry could spend time with his father during the trip, Palace has repeatedly stressed that the king has no role in decisions regarding the duke’s security, which are handled independently by the government.
