Agency Report
Prince Harry and Meghan are set to face a fresh security assessment after plans emerged for the couple to relocate with their two children from the United States to the United Kingdom later this month.
The Sussexes are expected to move to a private, non-royal residence outside London, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, due to start school in the UK next month.
According to the BBC on Thursday, the Home Office said decisions on 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 prime minister does not make decisions about security arrangements for the Royal Family.
“The prime minister does not decide about security for the Royal Family,” the department said.
Harry’s security has been a long-running source of tension since he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties 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 he visits the UK.
With the couple now planning to live in Britain, Ravec will have to make a new decision because their previous security arrangements were based on them not living permanently in the UK.
The Home Office said the UK’s protective security system was “rigorous and proportionate”, but added that it was “our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements”.
The department said disclosing such information could “compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security”.
There is no indication that Harry and Meghan will return as full-time working royals. However, their high public profile, links to the Royal Family and Harry’s military service in Afghanistan could be considered when their security arrangements are reviewed.
It remains unclear whether Harry will receive taxpayer-funded protection at the level he has sought since stepping down as a working royal.
If he does not receive the level of protection he wants, he could pay privately for additional security.
Harry and Meghan currently employ a private security team in the United States, although the couple have not said whether the team will move with 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.
His return with Meghan and their children therefore represents a significant change from his previous position.
The move also follows a family reunion with King Charles in July, when Harry, Meghan and their children visited the King at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.
It was the first time Charles had seen his grandchildren in person in more than four years and marked Harry and Meghan’s first visit to the UK together since 2022.
Harry has previously spoken about wanting “reconciliation” with the Royal Family and spending more time with his father.
The move is also expected to bring Harry closer to several commitments in the UK. The Invictus Games are due to be held in Birmingham next year, while the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death will also bring commemorative events.
The couple are expected to retain their California home, with Meghan continuing her media work and online business from the UK.
For now, the level of security Harry and Meghan will receive remains unresolved. With the Sussexes preparing to establish a more permanent base in Britain, Ravec will determine what level of protection is appropriate for the couple and their children.
