Prince Harry is rethinking plans to bring his wife Meghan and their two children to the United Kingdom next month following the rejection of his request for taxpayer-funded police protection.

The Duke of Sussex had been awaiting the outcome of a security review for more than six months before learning just days before the scheduled departure that his application had been denied. Sources close to the prince report he is "distraught" over the decision, which came shortly after the family confirmed their travel plans for a five-day visit.

The family had planned to travel from California for events marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. Meghan was scheduled to join her husband at several public engagements in London and the Midlands. The trip would have marked the first time Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, visited the UK as a family in four years.

Under the rejected security arrangement, the family would have received police protection only while staying on royal estates. Outside those residences, Harry would have to rely on his private security team from California. King Charles had reportedly offered accommodations at a royal residence, an invitation the couple had accepted.

Sources indicate Harry remains determined to find a way to bring his family safely, with options including flying them in and out of the country in a single day from mainland Europe. The Duke has long maintained that security concerns have prevented him from bringing his wife and children to his home country.

This development comes after Harry lost a legal challenge last year against the Home Office regarding automatic police protection while visiting Britain. The family last visited the UK together in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. A final decision on whether Meghan and the children will travel is expected in the coming days.