Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed plans to travel to Britain next month with their two children, marking the first time the full family has been in the UK together since 2022.
Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, will join them, although they are not expected to take part in any official royal engagements during the visit.
The Sussexes are set to split their stay between a royal residence and private accommodation.
Meghan and the children were last in the UK during the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations four years ago. At the time, Archie was three, while Lilibet celebrated her first birthday at Frogmore Cottage, their former Windsor home.
Prince Harry’s taxpayer-funded police protection was removed after he moved to the United States in 2020, and he has since argued he would not feel safe bringing his family back under those conditions. He has spent the past five years involved in legal proceedings against the Home Office over his security arrangements, with a review still ongoing.
However, an assessment by RAVEC, the committee responsible for protecting royalty and public figures, has yet to be completed. It is understood that its guidelines call for annual risk reviews, while Harry’s last formal assessment was nearly seven years ago.
Staying at a royal property would provide the family with existing security arrangements already in place.
Harry is due to begin his schedule with an Invictus Games Foundation event at Chatham House, bringing together experts, policymakers and members of the Invictus community to discuss challenges facing wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. Uganda’s entry as the 26th nation in the Games will also be announced.
The couple will also visit Chelsea Pensioners at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, marking their first joint public engagement in the UK since 2020.
As patron of WellChild, Harry will later visit Birmingham Children’s Hospital to mark 20 years since the charity appointed its first WellChild nurse.
At the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, the Duke and Duchess will take part in events with former Invictus competitors, launching the one-year countdown to the 2027 Birmingham Games and showcasing adaptive sports planned for the event.
Harry is also expected to attend Scotty’s Summer Festival at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire in his role as Global Ambassador for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports bereaved military children.
The visit also offers a chance for King Charles to spend time with his grandchildren, who are based in California.
Since the family moved to the US, Archie has reportedly met the King only a few times, while Lilibet has met him just once.
Harry last saw his father in September, when they shared a brief meeting at Clarence House. The two remain in contact, and any gaps in the official schedule could allow for another meeting if the King’s diary permits.
A reunion with Prince William, however, is seen as unlikely amid continuing tensions between the brothers.
