Prince Harry has secured a fresh Home Office review of the decision that removed his automatic armed police protection during visits to the United Kingdom. The move marks the first major shift in his long-running battle over security since he stepped back from royal duties in 2020. It also raises the possibility of the Duke of Sussex finally feeling able to bring his children, Archie and Lilibet, back to Britain. King Charles has not seen his grandchildren since the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022, and Harry has repeatedly said he could not risk bringing them without guaranteed protection.
The duke has long argued that his security status was altered unfairly. Earlier this year, he lost a High Court challenge to reinstate the taxpayer funded protection he once received as a working royal. At the time, he blamed what he described as an “establishment stitch-up” and insisted the ruling left him unsafe on British soil. Now, for the first time since early 2020, the Home Office has commissioned a full threat assessment to evaluate the level of risk he faces.
What the reassessment means
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee has instructed its Risk Management Board to conduct the evaluation, drawing on information from police, government sources and Harry’s own security advisers. The process is said to be already underway, and a decision is expected next month. If the review concludes that the duke is at sufficient risk, armed protection funded by the public purse could be restored for his time in the country.
Until now, Harry has been required to notify the Metropolitan Police thirty days before traveling to Britain. Each visit triggers a temporary and individually reviewed security plan. Insiders argue this is actually more costly than assigning a small number of permanent officers for the limited occasions he returns. His private security in the United States reportedly costs several million dollars a year, but bodyguards hired by him are not permitted to carry firearms in the UK.
A long and emotional dispute
