The Duke of Sussex remains determined to find a way to bring his wife and children to the UK safely this month, despite concerns about how they will be protected, Sky News understands.
Prince Harry had intended to travel with Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibeth in early July to attend celebrations marking the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
It had been four years since the children last saw their grandfather in person, and the king offered to settle the family in an unnamed royal residence.
It was reported last weekend that the Prince’s request for taxpayer-funded police protection was recently rejected.
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At the time, a source said the Duke might keep his family at home due to concerns for their safety.
The source added: “We hope they can meet their grandfather, but that won’t happen if paparazzi follow them everywhere they go from the moment they step off the plane.
“He won’t put his kids through this.”
A Sky News update on Friday revealed that the prince’s security team was continuing to consider options for some form of visit to take place, involving the duchess and the children.
Previously, Megan published a photo of Harry holding Lilibet in his arms. Photo: Instagram
Last year, the duke lost a legal battle with the government over his security level in Britain after it was demoted when he stepped down as a working member of the royal family and moved to the US in 2020.
Duke I’m waiting for your review Risk Management Board (RMB), which is part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royals and Public Figures (Ravetz) makes decisions regarding its security requirements, but last week it emerged that this had not yet happened.
The Duke and Duchess in Melbourne in April. Photo: AP
Archie and Lilibet last saw the king at the late queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations in 2022, and sources stress the monarch is not involved in decisions about her son’s safety.
A Government spokesman previously said: “The UK Government’s security framework is rigorous and proportionate.
“Our long-standing policy is not to provide detailed information about these arrangements as this may compromise their integrity and impact the safety of individuals.”