The Gist
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Prince Harry will reportedly be traveling to the U.K. alone for a series of charity engagements, and to kick off the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games.
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Harry’s decision comes amid an ongoing security fiasco concerning the safety of Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
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Markle and the children have not returned to the U.K. since 2022, largely due to security concerns.
After months of back-and-forth negotiation, Prince Harry has decided to travel to the U.K. without his family. Harry’s decision comes amid ongoing discussions with the royal family to acquire an appropriate level of security for his family, including Meghan Markle and their two children, Princess Lilibet, 5, and Prince Archie, 7.
Due to security concerns, Markle and the children have not returned to Harry’s home country since June 2022, when they attended the late Queen Elizabeth‘s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hold hands while attending the Project Healthy Minds annual gala in New York City on October 9, 2025.
Credit: Getty Images
The ongoing back-and-forth about police protection has left Harry “stressed and very disappointed,” according to a source who spoke with Vanity Fair. Despite exploring “every available option” to give his children the “opportunity to enjoy the U.K.,” Harry has decided to embark on his return to the U.K. alone.
During his stay from July 7 to 11, the prince will carry out a series of charity engagements, and kick off the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games. “Prince Harry’s program in the United Kingdom includes both public and private engagements across the country,” a spokesperson for Harry told People last month. “Safe accommodation is only one element of an effective protective security plan, because risk follows the person, not the place.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the National Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen’s reign at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London on June 3, 2022.
Credit: Getty Images
While early speculation indicated that the family’s accommodations in the U.K. complicated their travel plans, the spokesperson added that Harry’s decision was largely influenced by the level of security afforded to them by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee. “The issue is whether appropriate and proportionate protective security is being provided throughout the entirety of the visit,” they said.
King Charles attends the Braemar Royal Highland gathering in Braemar, Scotland on September 6, 2025.
Credit: Getty Images
Per The Guardian, Harry specifically requested police protection outside of royal residences to ensure his family’s safety. After the government declined the request, pulling security “out from under their feet at the 11th hour,” the prince has ultimately opted to postpone a long-awaited reunion between King Charles and his grandchildren. Harry, who was reportedly “devastated and close to tears” at the thought of delaying the reunion any further, even considered flying Markle and the kids to London for a one-day visit as a last-minute workaround. The family ultimately decided to scrap the plan.
A decision has not yet been announced, however, about whether Markle, Archie, and Lilibet will join Harry for parts of his trip outside of London. If Markle and the children do accompany Harry outside of the capital, the family are rumored to pay visits to Warwickshire for Scotty’s Little Soldiers Summer Festival and Northamptonshire to visit Princess Diana‘s childhood house, Althorp Estate.
Read the original article on InStyle
