Prince Harry's attempt to have taxpayer-funded police protection restored when he visits the UK may be thwarted by fears of a public backlash, according to reports. The Duke of Sussex lost his automatic police protection after stepping down as a working royal and moving to the US with his wife Meghan.
Following a failed legal challenge, Harry wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood requesting a risk assessment from the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec). The assessment is reportedly underway, but sources claim there is a split within Ravec, with senior civil servants from the Home Office, Cabinet Office, and Foreign Office opposing the move due to concerns about taxpayers footing the bill.
A source told The Telegraph: "There is nervousness among certain members of the committee who fear a public backlash. The political side believes there is too much political risk, while the police and security chiefs believe that he absolutely must have it due to the extant threat."
During his previous High Court case, Harry argued that without security, it was "impossible" to bring his wife and children, Archie and Lilibet, to the UK safely. In an interview after losing the appeal, he called the decision a "good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up" and said he could not see a world where he would bring his family back.
Currently, Harry must notify the Metropolitan Police a month before travelling, and security is assessed case by case. His lawyers have argued this puts his life "at stake." In October, a known stalker came within yards of him during a London visit, hiding in a hotel toilet minutes before his arrival.
A Home Office spokesperson 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." No final decision has been made on Harry's request.
