Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing to bring their family back to Britain after more than six years in America, but one of the issues that complicated their departure has immediately returned to the spotlight: security.

 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to establish a home in Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet has created a new question for the government over how the high-profile family will be protected.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declined to reveal whether the government could contribute towards the couple’s security arrangements, describing the issue as a private matter.

Asked whether the government would establish and fund protection for Harry and Meghan after their return, Burnham avoided discussing the details.

He instead wished the couple well as they prepared for their move.

The brief response leaves unanswered a question that has followed Harry for years and previously became the subject of a lengthy legal battle with the British government.

For the Duke of Sussex, security is not simply another logistical consideration surrounding his return.

It has been one of the central reasons he has given for being reluctant to bring Meghan and their children to Britain.

A Family Preparing to Return

Harry and Meghan are expected to move back to Britain later this month and establish themselves in a private residence outside London.

Their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, are due to begin school in the UK in September.

It represents a remarkable change for a family that has spent most of the past six years living in California.

The Sussexes will not, however, return to their former positions as working members of the Royal Family.

Their home will not be an official royal residence, and there is no indication that Harry or Meghan will resume engagements on behalf of the monarchy.

They are also expected to retain their home in Montecito, California, as well as their property in Portugal.

Their new arrangement therefore appears to be more transatlantic than a complete abandonment of their American life.

But living in Britain full-time for substantial periods raises a practical problem that was easier to manage during occasional visits.

How will the family be protected?

Why Security Became Such a Major Issue for Harry

When Harry and Meghan stopped being working royals in 2020, their security arrangements changed significantly.

Harry subsequently challenged the way British authorities determined the level of publicly funded protection available to him and his family when visiting the UK.

The dispute became intensely personal.

The Duke argued that the circumstances surrounding his family made Britain potentially unsafe without appropriate protection.

He also sought greater control over the security available to him during visits.

His legal challenges ultimately failed to restore the automatic police protection he wanted.

The controversy had consequences beyond the courtroom.

Harry repeatedly linked the security issue to his reluctance to bring Meghan, Archie and Lilibet back to Britain.

That makes the family’s decision to return now particularly significant.

Whatever arrangements are being considered, Harry evidently believes the security situation can be managed sufficiently for his children to attend school in the country.

Will British Taxpayers Pay?

That is the question Burnham declined to answer.

Because Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals, their position is fundamentally different from senior members of the monarchy who regularly undertake official duties.

Their return does not automatically mean they regain the security arrangements associated with their previous roles.

At the same time, Harry is the King’s son and remains one of the most recognizable members of the Royal Family in the world.

His wife and children also attract enormous international attention.

Those circumstances make security decisions more complicated than simply determining whether someone is a working royal.

Threat assessments, rather than celebrity or family status alone, can influence decisions about protection.

Details of such assessments are generally not made public for obvious security reasons.

For now, Downing Street is keeping the matter firmly away from public discussion.

A Risk Assessment Could Be Crucial

Harry’s protection in Britain has previously been considered on an individual basis rather than through the automatic security arrangements he enjoyed while serving as a senior working royal.

With the Sussexes now planning a much more substantial presence in Britain, their circumstances have changed again.

The family’s risk profile could therefore be reassessed.

That does not necessarily mean Harry will receive permanent taxpayer-funded armed protection.

Nor does it mean that all security will have to be privately financed.

Different arrangements could potentially apply depending on the circumstances, locations and nature of particular events.

What is clear is that the family’s move transforms the issue.

Providing security for an occasional visit is very different from protecting a family living in Britain while two young children attend school there.

Archie and Lilibet Add a New Dimension

The presence of Archie and Lilibet makes privacy particularly important.

The Sussex children have largely grown up away from the intense royal media environment their father experienced as a child.

Archie was born in London in 2019 but moved to North America while still a baby.

Lilibet was born in California in 2021 and has spent almost all of her childhood in the United States.

Starting school in Britain will create a much more predictable daily routine for both children.

That makes keeping details about their movements and school environment private especially important.

Harry has frequently spoken about the impact that intense media attention had on his own childhood and adult life.

His concerns about his family’s security have also been shaped by the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.

For that reason, it is unlikely that Harry and Meghan will voluntarily disclose much about the practical arrangements surrounding their children’s school life.

The Move Suggests Something Has Changed

There is an important contradiction at the center of the Sussexes’ return.

For years, Harry maintained that security concerns made it difficult for him to bring his family to Britain.

Now he is preparing not merely to visit with them, but to make the UK a significant part of their everyday lives.

That suggests something has changed.

It may be that Harry has become more comfortable with the protection available to him.

It may be that new private arrangements have been developed.

Or it could be that the prospect of a different risk assessment has given the family greater confidence.

Without official confirmation, those possibilities remain speculation.

But the decision to enroll Archie and Lilibet in British schools indicates that Harry and Meghan believe a workable solution is possible.

King Charles Could Benefit From Their Return

The move also brings Harry significantly closer to his father.

King Charles III has had relatively limited opportunities to spend time with Archie and Lilibet while they have lived in California.

Having the children based in Britain for school could dramatically change that.

The King was reportedly informed about the family’s plans shortly before news of the move became public.

Despite the limited notice, Charles is understood to welcome the possibility of spending more private time with Harry, Meghan and his grandchildren.

The development comes amid signs of a gradual improvement in the relationship between father and son.

Harry has publicly expressed a desire for reconciliation with his family, while his father’s health has added a new sense of urgency to the passage of time.

No Return to Royal Duties

The Sussexes’ increased presence in Britain should not be interpreted as a return to the arrangement they left behind in 2020.

Harry and Meghan will remain outside the group of working royals.

That means no regular schedule of engagements on behalf of the King and no restoration of the institutional roles they once occupied.

Instead, they will return as private members of the King’s family who continue to pursue their own professional and charitable interests.

Meghan is expected to remain involved with her American business ventures, while Harry will be better positioned to participate in the UK-based causes he has continued supporting.

Their independence from the monarchy, however, is exactly what makes the security question so complicated.

They remain globally recognizable members of the Royal Family without being official representatives of the institution.

Harry Returns to an Issue He Never Really Left Behind

For Harry, moving back to Britain brings his post-royal journey almost full circle.

Security was one of the major points of contention surrounding his departure.

It influenced where his family lived, how frequently his wife and children returned to Britain and eventually resulted in years of litigation.

Six years later, Harry is preparing to bring his family home despite never fully resolving the debate in public.

Burnham’s refusal to discuss who will pay for their protection suggests that the government has little interest in conducting that debate through the media.

Perhaps that is inevitable.

The most effective security arrangements are rarely the ones discussed in detail publicly.

But as Archie and Lilibet prepare for British school life and their parents establish a new home outside London, the question will not disappear.

Harry and Meghan may be returning as private citizens rather than working royals.

Protecting one of the world’s most famous families, however, is unlikely to be an entirely ordinary private matter.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to establish a home in Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet has created a new question for the government over how the high-profile family will be protected.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declined to reveal whether the government could contribute towards the couple’s security arrangements, describing the issue as a private matter.

Asked whether the government would establish and fund protection for Harry and Meghan after their return, Burnham avoided discussing the details.

He instead wished the couple well as they prepared for their move.

The brief response leaves unanswered a question that has followed Harry for years and previously became the subject of a lengthy legal battle with the British government.

For the Duke of Sussex, security is not simply another logistical consideration surrounding his return.

It has been one of the central reasons he has given for being reluctant to bring Meghan and their children to Britain.

A Family Preparing to Return

Harry and Meghan are expected to move back to Britain later this month and establish themselves in a private residence outside London.

Their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, are due to begin school in the UK in September.

It represents a remarkable change for a family that has spent most of the past six years living in California.

The Sussexes will not, however, return to their former positions as working members of the Royal Family.

Their home will not be an official royal residence, and there is no indication that Harry or Meghan will resume engagements on behalf of the monarchy.

They are also expected to retain their home in Montecito, California, as well as their property in Portugal.

Their new arrangement therefore appears to be more transatlantic than a complete abandonment of their American life.

But living in Britain full-time for substantial periods raises a practical problem that was easier to manage during occasional visits.

How will the family be protected?

Why Security Became Such a Major Issue for Harry

When Harry and Meghan stopped being working royals in 2020, their security arrangements changed significantly.

Harry subsequently challenged the way British authorities determined the level of publicly funded protection available to him and his family when visiting the UK.

The dispute became intensely personal.

The Duke argued that the circumstances surrounding his family made Britain potentially unsafe without appropriate protection.

He also sought greater control over the security available to him during visits.

His legal challenges ultimately failed to restore the automatic police protection he wanted.

The controversy had consequences beyond the courtroom.

Harry repeatedly linked the security issue to his reluctance to bring Meghan, Archie and Lilibet back to Britain.

That makes the family’s decision to return now particularly significant.

Whatever arrangements are being considered, Harry evidently believes the security situation can be managed sufficiently for his children to attend school in the country.

Will British Taxpayers Pay?

That is the question Burnham declined to answer.

Because Harry and Meghan are no longer working royals, their position is fundamentally different from senior members of the monarchy who regularly undertake official duties.

Their return does not automatically mean they regain the security arrangements associated with their previous roles.

At the same time, Harry is the King’s son and remains one of the most recognizable members of the Royal Family in the world.

His wife and children also attract enormous international attention.

Those circumstances make security decisions more complicated than simply determining whether someone is a working royal.

Threat assessments, rather than celebrity or family status alone, can influence decisions about protection.

Details of such assessments are generally not made public for obvious security reasons.

For now, Downing Street is keeping the matter firmly away from public discussion.

A Risk Assessment Could Be Crucial

Harry’s protection in Britain has previously been considered on an individual basis rather than through the automatic security arrangements he enjoyed while serving as a senior working royal.

With the Sussexes now planning a much more substantial presence in Britain, their circumstances have changed again.

The family’s risk profile could therefore be reassessed.

That does not necessarily mean Harry will receive permanent taxpayer-funded armed protection.

Nor does it mean that all security will have to be privately financed.

Different arrangements could potentially apply depending on the circumstances, locations and nature of particular events.

What is clear is that the family’s move transforms the issue.

Providing security for an occasional visit is very different from protecting a family living in Britain while two young children attend school there.

Archie and Lilibet Add a New Dimension

The presence of Archie and Lilibet makes privacy particularly important.

The Sussex children have largely grown up away from the intense royal media environment their father experienced as a child.

Archie was born in London in 2019 but moved to North America while still a baby.

Lilibet was born in California in 2021 and has spent almost all of her childhood in the United States.

Starting school in Britain will create a much more predictable daily routine for both children.

That makes keeping details about their movements and school environment private especially important.

Harry has frequently spoken about the impact that intense media attention had on his own childhood and adult life.

His concerns about his family’s security have also been shaped by the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.

For that reason, it is unlikely that Harry and Meghan will voluntarily disclose much about the practical arrangements surrounding their children’s school life.

The Move Suggests Something Has Changed

There is an important contradiction at the center of the Sussexes’ return.

For years, Harry maintained that security concerns made it difficult for him to bring his family to Britain.

Now he is preparing not merely to visit with them, but to make the UK a significant part of their everyday lives.

That suggests something has changed.

It may be that Harry has become more comfortable with the protection available to him.

It may be that new private arrangements have been developed.

Or it could be that the prospect of a different risk assessment has given the family greater confidence.

Without official confirmation, those possibilities remain speculation.

But the decision to enroll Archie and Lilibet in British schools indicates that Harry and Meghan believe a workable solution is possible.

King Charles Could Benefit From Their Return

The move also brings Harry significantly closer to his father.

King Charles III has had relatively limited opportunities to spend time with Archie and Lilibet while they have lived in California.

Having the children based in Britain for school could dramatically change that.

The King was reportedly informed about the family’s plans shortly before news of the move became public.

Despite the limited notice, Charles is understood to welcome the possibility of spending more private time with Harry, Meghan and his grandchildren.

The development comes amid signs of a gradual improvement in the relationship between father and son.

Harry has publicly expressed a desire for reconciliation with his family, while his father’s health has added a new sense of urgency to the passage of time.

No Return to Royal Duties

The Sussexes’ increased presence in Britain should not be interpreted as a return to the arrangement they left behind in 2020.

Harry and Meghan will remain outside the group of working royals.

That means no regular schedule of engagements on behalf of the King and no restoration of the institutional roles they once occupied.

Instead, they will return as private members of the King’s family who continue to pursue their own professional and charitable interests.

Meghan is expected to remain involved with her American business ventures, while Harry will be better positioned to participate in the UK-based causes he has continued supporting.

Their independence from the monarchy, however, is exactly what makes the security question so complicated.

They remain globally recognizable members of the Royal Family without being official representatives of the institution.

Harry Returns to an Issue He Never Really Left Behind

For Harry, moving back to Britain brings his post-royal journey almost full circle.

Security was one of the major points of contention surrounding his departure.

It influenced where his family lived, how frequently his wife and children returned to Britain and eventually resulted in years of litigation.

Six years later, Harry is preparing to bring his family home despite never fully resolving the debate in public.

Burnham’s refusal to discuss who will pay for their protection suggests that the government has little interest in conducting that debate through the media.

Perhaps that is inevitable.

The most effective security arrangements are rarely the ones discussed in detail publicly.

But as Archie and Lilibet prepare for British school life and their parents establish a new home outside London, the question will not disappear.

Harry and Meghan may be returning as private citizens rather than working royals.

Protecting one of the world’s most famous families, however, is unlikely to be an entirely ordinary private matter.