Prince Harry will return to the United Kingdom this week without Meghan Markle or their two children amid ongoing concerns about his family’s security.
The Duke of Sussex’s decision comes just days after a leaked confidential security assessment reportedly detailed multiple alleged threats against his life, including alleged terrorist plots and an al-Qaeda document calling for his assassination.
The assessment also reportedly concluded that Meghan, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, could also face serious risks if they travelled to the UK.
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Harry is due to visit the UK from July 7 to 11 for a series of charity engagements and to launch the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games, but Meghan and the children will remain in California, extending their four-year absence from his home country.
The security report submitted to the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) identified at least six alleged terrorist plots involving “jihadist and right-wing threat actors” targeting the Duke, with five of those threats originating in the UK, ITV reported.
GB News also reported the assessment referenced an alleged al-Qaeda document calling for Prince Harry’s assassination. The report reportedly concluded the greatest threat facing the Sussex family came from so-called “stochastic terrorism,” where repeated hostile public rhetoric can inspire individuals to carry out acts of violence.
The assessment also cited information from the Metropolitan Police indicating authorities are aware of almost 500 potential stalkers targeting the Royal Family, of which half have demonstrated a threat against Harry, Meghan and the children.
The decision follows Prince Harry’s unsuccessful legal battle to restore taxpayer-funded police protection for his family while in the UK.
According to Vanity Fair, Harry has spent months exploring options that would allow his children to visit the UK safely, but ultimately concluded the current security arrangements were insufficient.
A spokesperson for the Duke previously said the issue was whether “appropriate and proportionate protective security” would be provided throughout the visit.
“Safe accommodation is only one element of an effective protective security plan, because risk follows the person, not the place,” the spokesperson said.
The security dispute has also reportedly dashed hopes of a reunion between King Charles III and his grandchildren during this visit.
According to The Guardian, Harry had requested police protection beyond royal residences to ensure his family’s safety while travelling throughout the UK.
After that request was rejected, he reportedly considered flying Meghan, Archie and Lilibet to London for a single-day visit before abandoning the plan.
The family has not returned to the UK together since June 2022, when they attended celebrations marking the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Harry and Meghan lost their automatic police protection in 2020 after stepping back as senior working royals and relocating to the United States.
Since then, the Duke has consistently argued that privately funded security cannot replicate the intelligence and policing capabilities available through official royal protection, leaving his family exposed to unacceptable risks during visits to the UK.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source 7news.com.au ’
