Prince Harry is expected to return to Britain next week for a packed schedule of charity engagements, but a notable absence is set to overshadow the visit.
According to Sky News, the Duke of Sussex will undertake a series of engagements in the capital, including meetings in connection with the Invictus Games and visits to charities he has long supported.
However, the Duchess of Sussex, along with Archie and Lilibet, will remain in California.
Harry had reportedly hoped to bring his family to Birmingham for an event marking a year to the 2027 Invictus Games, but ongoing security concerns appear to have changed those plans.
While it remains unclear whether Meghan and the children could join the Duke elsewhere in the UK, sources suggest London is off the family’s itinerary due to unclear security arrangements.
It has been four years since Archie and Lilibet last saw their grandfather King Charles in person, and the monarch is believed to have offered accommodation in a royal residence if the family decide to travel.
Harry has remained locked in a long-running dispute over his level of protection in Britain after losing taxpayer-funded police security when he stepped down from royal duties in 2020.
Although he unsuccessfully challenged the decision in court, he is still awaiting a review of his case after personally appealing for it to be reconsidered.
The Duke has previously spoken about the problem.
“I can’t see a world where I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this stage,” Harry said after his legal defeat over the security arrangements last year.
Harry could spend time with his father during the trip, the Palace has repeatedly stressed that the king has no role in decisions about the duke’s security, which are handled independently of the government.
