A secretive committee known as RAVEC will decide whether taxpayers should pay for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's security when they return to the UK, with the bill potentially reaching an estimated £2.2 million.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood was not involved in any decision about the security arrangements, officials have insisted. Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the couple's planned return to Britain as a "private matter" when asked by reporters whether the Government would pay for their security.
Government's Stance on Security Details
A Home Office spokesman said: "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."
Last year, the Duke of Sussex lost a legal challenge over the levels of security he and his family are entitled to while in the UK. Decisions about security are made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, or RAVEC. However, the Government has refused to reveal who exactly sits on this committee.
RAVEC's Composition and Past Decisions
Prince Harry had been seeking to overturn a RAVEC decision that had downgraded his security after he stopped being a working royal. He also wanted a court to rule that the Home Secretary should make the decision rather than RAVEC, but a High Court judge rejected his plea.
Answering a question in Parliament last year, Security Minister Dan Jarvis would only say RAVEC "includes the Home Office, Cabinet Office, and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office." Rather than revealing who attends, he said: "These departments are represented in the Committee by: A senior official in the Homeland Security Group who represents the Home Office. A senior official in the National Security Secretariat who represents the Cabinet Office. A senior official in the Protocol Directorate who represents the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office."
It is known the committee was previously chaired by Sir Richard Mottram, a former senior civil servant who served as Permanent Secretary, Intelligence, Security and Resilience in the Cabinet Office, but his replacement has not been publicly named.
Sussexes' Return to Britain
An investigation by website Forbes suggested in 2021 that the cost of Harry and Meghan's security could be up to £2.2 million for round-the-clock protection. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to move back to Britain more than six years after they relocated to the US. The couple will return to the UK later this month, making their home in a non-royal residence outside of London, and have already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools.
It is understood there will be no change to Harry and Meghan's role and status as private individuals and non-working members of the royal family. The King, who is still living with cancer, was first made aware of the move on Sunday, only three days before it was made public, but is understood to welcome the opportunity to see more of the family both in a private and personal capacity. However, their status will remain the same, with the couple not being offered a "half-in-half-out" option when it comes to their roles.
