Ailsa Anderson, the late Queen's Press Secretary, has warned Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to be "cautious" upon their return to the UK. Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Friday, the royal commentator noted that the Sussexes should tread carefully, rather than "trying to steal the thunder" of Britain's working royals.
Warning on Working Royal Status
"They are not working members of the royal family where others are," Anderson declared. "And others do an extraordinary job on a daily basis. Look at how many engagements the King, in his mid-70s, is still carrying out now."
"Meghan and Harry are not the most popular members of the royal family. If you see recent polls they are way down the pecking order along with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor," the journalist remarked. "So, they're going to have to do quite a lot to regain the trust and the popularity within their own family and with the British public."
Security Concerns and Funding
Asked whether it's "conceivable" that the Sussexes and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, could live in the UK without "some form of official security," Anderson told Charlie Stayt: "There won't be… and certainly, currently plans to give them official security."
"It's a very costly business, and they are not working members of the royal family. You can see people saying, 'Why should we be paying for their security when they've got their own commercial endeavours?' So I can't see any official home-office-paid-for security for them. They will have to fund their own security out of their own pockets."
Plans for UK Return
A development that emerged this week, on Wednesday evening it was reported that Harry and Meghan would be moving to the UK, alongside their two children. It is understood that the King was informed of their decision on Sunday. Meanwhile, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are expected to be enrolled in British schools with a September start date.
Prior to the news, Harry and Meghan had visited the UK in July to promote the 2027 Invictus Games. While Harry made several public appearances, the duchess and her children kept a low profile behind the scenes, and paid a secret visit to King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House.
