The Duchess of Sussex has not been back to the UK for three and a half years. Since quitting her role as a senior working royal, Meghan has only visited her former home country a handful of times, most recently in September 2022 to attend the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Her husband Prince Harry has plainly stated he would like to bring his wife and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, back to the UK for visits, but due to their ongoing security concerns, it has not been possible.
In the latest episode of HELLO!‘s A Right Royal Podcast, our hosts Emily Nash and Andrea Caamano spoke to podcast guest Matt Wilkinson, Royal Editor of The Sun, about the possibility of Meghan stepping on UK soil again – and it will only be when Harry has won his security legal battle and his protection is reinstated, which could happen by the summer.
“I think we will know if they’ve got their security back if Meghan comes this summer for the Invictus Games year-out event,” Matt said on the podcast. “If Meghan comes to the UK, then you can guarantee that they’ve won their security deal. But I think we’ll have to wait. I think we’ll have to wait until the summer.”
Family reunion at Invictus?
Matt went on to say how Harry would likely want to have his whole family there to support him at the Invictus Games Birmingham one-year countdown event in July – his immediate family, as well as the royal family.
“I think it’s a big event for him,” said Matt. “I mean, I think it was between Washington DC or Birmingham, they were the two candidate cities for Invictus. And it’s not like the Olympics where you have loads of members voting. I think there was only one decision. It was going to be Birmingham and he wanted to bring his whole family down here. He wants to sit there with the royal family, in the stands. But that’s very optimistic.”
Matt added: “I don’t think the King will go to Invictus next summer. I might be wrong, but William definitely won’t. Camilla definitely won’t. You might get the Defence Secretary there, the Prime Minister, but you won’t get the King.”
The Invictus Games will be held in Birmingham in summer 2027. The one-year-to-go countdown event is expected to take place in early July in the city’s National Exhibition Centre.
Harry’s security saga
The Duke’s long-running legal battle over his security saw a U-turn earlier this year, when it was reported that his automatic 24-hour, taxpayer-funded armed police protection would likely be reinstated whenever he visits the UK. This would allow him to bring Meghan, Archie and Lilibet back to his home country more frequently.
An official decision has yet to be announced, but back in January, it was reported that the Home Office had had a change of heart over denying Harry paid security, and that a decision would be made public ”within weeks”.
In 2023, Harry published a written witness statement to the High Court, saying: ”The UK is my home. It is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live in the US.
”That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil. I cannot put my wife in danger like that and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm’s way.”
To listen to the full episode, tune into HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast above.
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