Prince Harry and Meghan are set to return to Britain next month with their two children for the first time in four years, after reaching an agreement with the King that will see the family stay at a royal residence with accommodation and security arrangements extended by the monarch himself.
The trip marks a significant moment for the family, with seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet last seeing their grandfather during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. Harry and Meghan returned to Britain without the children in September of that year following Elizabeth II’s death, at which point they still had use of Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate. The King’s decision to offer the family a stay at a royal property reflects his desire to spend time with his young grandchildren, and provides the security guarantees that Harry has long insisted are a prerequisite for bringing his family to the UK.
The Duke’s confidence in bringing Meghan and the children rests on assurances from Buckingham Palace regarding their safety within the protected grounds of the royal property. Harry has maintained for years that his family cannot visit Britain without adequate state-backed protection, a stance that led him to decline an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace in 2024 because it came without police protection — a decision driven by concerns that the building’s exposed entrances and exits would leave him vulnerable.
Harry had already committed to attending events in Birmingham marking one year until the Invictus Games 2027, but his decision to bring Meghan and their children was only finalised recently, once the necessary guarantees had been secured from the Palace. The Duke will also carry out engagements connected to his remaining charitable commitments, including WellChild and Scotty’s Little Soldiers. It remains unconfirmed whether Meghan will join him at any Invictus-related events, though she has consistently supported the initiative since first appearing alongside Harry at the 2017 Toronto Games.
The security arrangements underpinning the visit remain a source of ongoing tension. Harry lost his legal challenge against the Home Office last year over guaranteed police protection and has continued to pursue the matter privately. Under current arrangements, he must give the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, 30 days’ notice of any UK visit, after which the body determines the level of protection he will receive. Despite submitting his travel plans within the required timeframe, Harry has yet to receive a formal response from Ravec regarding security for this trip. The committee, which includes representatives from the royal household, the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office, the Cabinet Office and the Foreign Office, has previously offered protection amounting to little more than the contact details of a liaison officer — a level of provision Harry has long argued is inadequate.
The Duke has spoken previously of his wish to show Archie and Lilibet aspects of royal life and British culture that they do not experience growing up in Montecito, California. Speaking in Düsseldorf in 2023, Meghan expressed hope that the family would “one day be able to bring our kids also so they can experience just how amazing this is.”
It remains unclear whether Archie and Lilibet will make any public appearances during the trip, with their parents having consistently sought to protect their privacy. On previous solo visits to the UK, Harry is understood to have stayed with friends or in hotels rather than at royal properties.
