Prince Harry's UK trip hampered by security denial as he accepts royal residence invitation

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan their first family visit to the United Kingdom in four years, scheduled for early July 2026. The trip will coincide with the one‑year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham and include charity engagements for the Sussexes.

King Charles III has offered the couple accommodation on a royal residence, an invitation the Sussexes have accepted – the first time they have done so since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Their stay will be split between the royal property and private lodging.

However, the Home Office, via the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), has denied the Sussexes’ request for taxpayer‑funded police protection. Security will be provided only while they are within the royal residence; elsewhere they will rely on private security. This has led Harry to reconsider bringing Meghan and their children, Archie (7) and Lilibet (5), to the UK.

Harry has previously said, “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point.” The unresolved security arrangements cast uncertainty over the family’s participation in the Invictus Games‑related events and other charitable visits, while highlighting ongoing tensions within the royal family.