Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to face a fresh security assessment as the couple prepare to relocate with their two children from the United States to the United Kingdom later this month.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to move into a private, non-royal residence outside London, while their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are due to start school in the UK next month.
The planned move is likely to trigger a new review of the couple’s security arrangements, following years of dispute over the level of police protection available to Harry after he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties.
According to the BBC, the Home Office said decisions concerning the security of members of the Royal Family are made by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), an independent body overseen by the department.
The Home Office also stressed that the British prime minister does not personally determine security arrangements for members of the Royal Family.
“The prime minister does not decide about security for the Royal Family,” the department said.
The Home Office described the UK’s protective security system as “rigorous and proportionate”, but said it would not provide detailed information about individual security arrangements.
It said revealing such information could compromise the security system and potentially affect individuals’ safety.
Harry’s security dispute with UK authorities
Harry’s security arrangements have been a long-running source of tension since he and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals and moved to California in 2020.
The Duke of Sussex lost a legal challenge last year against a decision to downgrade his security arrangements when visiting the UK.
With Harry and Meghan now planning to establish a more permanent base in Britain, Ravec is expected to reassess the situation because their previous security arrangements were based on the couple not living permanently in the UK.
It remains unclear whether Harry will receive taxpayer-funded protection at the level he has sought since stepping down as a working royal.
If the level of protection provided does not meet his expectations, the prince could pay privately for additional security.
Sussexes already have private security
Harry and Meghan currently employ a private security team in the United States. However, the couple have not confirmed whether their existing security personnel will accompany them to Britain.
Harry previously told the BBC that he “can’t see a world” in which he would bring his family to the UK following the reduction in his security arrangements.
Their planned relocation therefore represents a significant change from his earlier position.
The couple’s high public profile, their links to the Royal Family and Harry’s previous military service in Afghanistan could all be among the factors considered during the security review.
Move follows reunion with King Charles
The planned return also follows a family reunion with King Charles III in July, when Harry, Meghan and their children visited the King at his Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire.
The meeting marked the first time Charles had seen his grandchildren in person in more than four years and was Harry and Meghan’s first joint visit to the UK since 2022.
Harry has previously spoken about wanting reconciliation with members of the Royal Family and spending more time with his father.
Their return to Britain could also bring Harry closer to several of his UK-based commitments. The Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham next year, while commemorative events are expected to mark the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death.
The Sussexes are expected to retain their home in California, while Meghan continues her media and online business activities from the UK.
For now, the security arrangements for Harry, Meghan and their children remain unresolved.
With the Sussexes preparing to establish a more permanent presence in Britain, Ravec will determine what level of protection is considered appropriate for the family.
