Prince Harry has reportedly approached Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to determine whether his family will receive security in the UK, with a purported taxpayer bill of over £5 million a year. The approach follows the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's announcement on Wednesday that they are moving back to the UK, six years after departing royal duties.
Private Plea Over Security Funding
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have secured their own non-royal accommodation outside of London and have chosen schools for their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. Prince Harry is understood to have "privately pleaded" with Shabana Mahmood for a final decision over his family's security funding, according to The Daily Mail.
The prince's UK security arrangements were previously assessed by MPs on the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) at the end of July, following a review by its risk management board (RMB). Although the board determined Harry was ineligible for state-funded security, members were reportedly unaware he was considering a permanent move back to the UK when it reached its decision.
Sussex Summit at Balmoral
Senior royals are understood to have held a 'Sussex Summit' at Balmoral Castle following Wednesday's news that the couple planned to uproot from their current home in Montecito, California. It is understood that round-the-clock armed police protection for the Sussexes could exceed £5 million after they permanently return to the UK.
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 couple will not be offered a "half-in-half-out" option when it comes to their roles.
King's Awareness and Family Impact
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. The Sussexes' decision raises the question of how the news will be met by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Harry has faced a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over the security arrangements for him and his family when in the UK after his level of protection changed when he stepped down as a working royal in 2020. When the duke lost a Court of Appeal challenge against the Home Office last year, he gave a BBC interview in which he expressed hopes of a reconciliation with his family, revealing Charles would not speak to him because of his security court case.
At the time, Harry said: "I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at his point and the things that they're going to miss is, well, everything you know."
The duke, who stepped down from the working monarchy six years ago, has levelled a barrage of accusations at the King, his stepmother the Queen, brother the Prince of Wales and sister-in-law the Princess of Wales in his Oprah interview, Netflix documentary, interviews and his autobiography Spare after moving to California.
