The Duke of Sussex’s legal win could pave the way for King Charles to finally see his grandchildren Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, who have been residing stateside with their parents.
The monarch last encountered the young royals back in June 2022 during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee festivities.
Since that time, Harry has maintained it’s far too dangerous for his family to visit British territory without adequate security arrangements in place . The duke even took his case to the High Court earlier this year in an attempt to restore his taxpayer-funded police protection , but he was unsuccessful in that legal battle and attributed it to an “establishment stitch-up.”
Millions spent on security in the States, reports the Express.
Now, in an unexpected development, The Sun reported the Home Office has reversed course and commissioned a new review of the prince’s security circumstances. This represents the first threat evaluation for Harry since he dramatically stepped back as a working Royal in 2020 and departed to begin a fresh chapter in the US.
Previously, the duke was deemed to face the highest level of threat, ranking just below the Queen herself and the Prime Minister. But his threat classification was allegedly reduced in February 2020, leading to his automatic entitlement to armed police protection being withdrawn.
After losing his Royal security detail, Harry relocated to America with Meghan Markle and their son Archie. The couple welcomed daughter Lilibet the following year.
It’s estimated that the Sussexes’ annual security bill in the States runs into the millions.
Threat level to be reassessed after six years
Now, after nearly six long years, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) has finally instructed its Risk Management Board to reevaluate the threat against Harry. The process is said to be underway, with evidence being gathered from the police, the government, and the prince’s own team.
The Home Office, which oversees Ravec, is expected to make a decision by next month. If they determine Harry does require armed police protection, it will be funded by the taxpayers whenever he’s on UK soil.
Currently, the duke must give the Met Police 30 days’ notice before traveling to Britain so they can assess his security needs on a case-by-case basis. Some argue this ad hoc approach actually costs more than simply assigning him a few salaried armed officers for his infrequent visits.
The Home Office previously said it was “pleased” with the court ruling in May that rejected Harry’s bid to regain automatic police protection. However, the prince, who now resides in California, has maintained he doesn’t feel safe bringing his wife and kids to the UK in the current circumstances.
Duke slams ‘establishment stitch-up’ In a fiery 30-minute interview, the furious Royal slammed the ruling, calling it “a good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up.
“The other side have won in keeping me unsafe,” Harry fumed. “I can’t see a world in which I will be bringing my wife and children back at this point.”
Traveling alone for family visits
Since the legal dispute, the duke has returned to Britain by himself, including a September visit where he participated in charity events and saw his father for the first time in more than a year and a half.
He has also contacted the new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood directly, asking her to reassess his risk level.
A government spokesman remained tight-lipped about Harry’s circumstances, telling The Sun: “The UK government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate.
“It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex declined to comment on the matter.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.the-express.com ’
