Prince Harry's UK visit in doubt after police protection denied

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had planned their first family visit to the United Kingdom in four years, aiming to attend events linked to the Invictus Games scheduled for July in Birmingham. The trip would have included their children, Archie (7) and Lilibet (5), and was expected to draw significant media attention.

The visit is now uncertain because the Home Office rejected Harry's request for police protection funded by taxpayers. The denial follows a previous legal loss that prevented automatic police security while he was in the UK. A risk assessment is pending a final decision from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which includes officials from the royal household, the Home Office, the Cabinet, and the Metropolitan Police. The Home Office stated that the security system is "rigorous and proportionate" and that details are not disclosed to protect operational integrity.