Prince Harry Scores Major Security Breakthrough That Could Open the Door to Archie and Lilibet Visiting King Charles

Prince Harry has secured a significant step forward in his long-running effort to restore his official U.K. security protection.

The U.K. government has ordered a full-scale review of his security status by the official body that determines how royals and VIPs are protected, it was reported on Monday, Dec. 8.

The move marks a shift following Harry’s high-profile campaign to have his full taxpayer-funded security reinstated.

According to The Sun, evidence is already being gathered from Harry’s team, law enforcement and government officials. A final decision is expected in January. A spokesperson for Harry declined to comment.

In a statement, a U.K. government 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, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”

Harry, 41, has repeatedly maintained that without proper security, he cannot safely bring his wife Meghan Markle, 44, and their children — Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 — back to the U.K. He has said he does not feel safe doing so without formal protection in place.

The latest development on Dec. 8 could open the door for their children, who are being raised in California, to visit the U.K. more easily and spend time with Harry’s father, King Charles.

Harry saw his father in September for the first time in 19 months during a visit to the U.K. The meeting was widely viewed as a major step toward easing their strained relationship, which has been further complicated by the security dispute.

Harry and Meghan’s full security cover was removed after they stepped back from frontline royal duties in 2020. The prince lost an appeal in May, during which it emerged that he and Meghan had not had a formal security assessment since 2019.

In October, Harry wrote directly to the British government minister responsible for policing and crime prevention, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, to make a personal appeal about his case.

The Home Office oversees the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), the specialist body that makes decisions about the security of royals, diplomats and other high-profile figures. RAVEC — which includes representatives from the government, the Metropolitan Police and senior royal household officials — commissions risk assessments for specific individuals when needed.

In an interview in May, after losing his appeal, Harry suggested to the BBC that he believed King Charles might be able to influence the situation. Buckingham Palace has consistently denied that the King, 77, has the power to personally restore Harry’s security arrangements.

The security row has been a major obstacle in any reconciliation between father and son. While the legal case was ongoing, the King, as head of state, was said to feel constrained in how directly he could engage with Harry, given that the government and its agencies were involved in the dispute.

Once the legal proceedings concluded in May, Harry and King Charles met at Clarence House in London on Sept. 10. During that visit, Harry presented his father with a framed photograph of Archie and Lilibet — a gesture seen as another small but meaningful step toward rebuilding their relationship.