The Duke of Sussex has been left 'distraught' after a planned family visit to the UK early next month was scrapped when the government rejected his request for police protection. Prince Harry had hoped to bring his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to meet King Charles during events linked to the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
A source close to Harry said the trip was 'pulled out from under their feet at the 11th hour' and that the prince would not subject his children to being 'chased by paparazzi wherever they go from the moment they step off the plane'. The duke is now exploring alternative options to make the journey safely.
The visit would have been the first time the King saw his youngest grandchildren in person since the late Queen's platinum jubilee in 2022. Harry last met his father in September 2024, a meeting seen as a step towards improving their strained relationship.
Last year, Harry lost a legal challenge against the Home Office over automatic police protection in the UK. He has since been awaiting a final decision from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which authorises such security. A government spokesperson said the protective security system is 'rigorous and proportionate' but declined to provide further details.
