The Duke of Sussex faces a significant setback in his efforts to secure taxpayer-funded police protection during his upcoming visit to the United Kingdom, throwing a planned family reunion with King Charles into doubt. Prince Harry is reportedly reconsidering whether to bring his wife, Meghan, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for the visit after his formal request for security was denied just days before the family was due to travel .

Harry's security protection was downgraded in 2020 after he and Meghan stepped back from their roles as senior working royals and relocated to the United States . The Duke has been engaged in a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over the decision and had been awaiting a review by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), the independent body that decides on security for senior royals .

According to reports, the Duke’s team learned on Friday that a planned assessment by the Risk Management Board had been "paused" without explanation, meaning Ravec has not updated its stance on his security arrangements . Sources close to Harry have described him as "distraught" over the decision, particularly as it came at the eleventh hour .

While the royal household has offered Harry and his family the use of a protected royal residence during their stay, his spokesman emphasized that “safe accommodation is only one element of an effective protective security plan” . The spokesman added that “risk follows the person, not the place,” and that the issue is whether “appropriate and proportionate protective security is being provided throughout the entirety of the visit” .

The Duke has previously offered to pay for his own police protection, but a judge ruled that police were “not for sale,” deciding that wealthy individuals should not have the right to hire officers for personal security . Currently, Harry’s private security team—who are legally prohibited from carrying firearms in the UK—is left to manage the situation with limited support . Reports indicate that he does not have access to police, secret intelligence, specialist vehicle escorts, or personal protection officers .

The planned visit would have marked the first time the Sussex family traveled to the UK together in four years and represented a long-awaited opportunity for King Charles to see his grandchildren, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 . Sources have expressed that the King would be deeply dismayed if the meeting does not proceed .

A government spokesperson stated that the UK’s protective security system is “rigorous and proportionate” but declined to comment on specific arrangements . As the situation develops, Prince Harry is said to be exploring every available option to ensure the visit can proceed safely .