The Duke of Sussex, 41, arrived in his home country on Monday, July 6, ahead of a series of engagements connected to several charities he has supported for years. Among the key events on his schedule are activities marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham.
Harry's return follows a family holiday in Europe with Meghan and their children. Although the couple had initially planned to bring Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, to Britain for what would have been their first visit since 2022, those plans were later revised. Meghan and the children ultimately remained behind, and no final decision has been made on whether they will join Harry during other parts of his trip outside London.
The family's travel arrangements continue to be complicated by unresolved security issues. Harry and Meghan lost their automatic taxpayer-funded police protection after stepping back as senior working members of the royal family in 2020 and relocating to California. Since then, Harry has continued to seek the restoration of appropriate security for himself and his family while visiting the United Kingdom.
A review by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) remains ongoing. While King Charles III reportedly offered accommodation on a royal estate, the proposed security measures would only apply within the estate and not throughout the family's visit.
In a statement released late last month, Harry's spokesperson said the central issue was ensuring "appropriate and proportionate protective security" for the duration of any visit. The spokesperson added that the duke was continuing to explore every available option that would allow his children to safely spend time in his homeland.
Harry has previously spoken publicly about the issue, saying he could not imagine bringing his family back to Britain without sufficient police protection. He also expressed sadness that Archie and Lilibet have been unable to experience the country where he grew up.
Archie was born in Britain in 2019 and spent the early months of his life there before his parents relocated to the United States. Lilibet, who was born in California in 2021 and named after Queen Elizabeth II's childhood nickname, has visited the United Kingdom only once, during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
