King Charles could cover the additional security for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK, it has been reported.
Harry and Meghan are set to travel to Britain next month alongside their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, marking the family’s first joint visit in four years.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend the one-year countdown celebration for the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
The competition for veterans represents Harry’s flagship charitable endeavour, a cause intimately connected to his military service.
Harry’s visit signals a significant moment for his family, who have largely remained in California since departing royal life in 2020.
So, King Charles is understood, according to The Sun, to have intervened personally, offering his own resources to facilitate the prince’s security requirements.
The Home Office is claimed to have approved round-the-clock armed police protection funded by taxpayers for the duration of their stay.
Despite ongoing reviews of potential threats facing the couple, the Government’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee has not altered its security assessment.
A Government spokesman addressed the protective arrangements: “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.”
The unchanged threat level suggests the “safe return” could stem from additional royal support rather than any reassessment of risk.
Harry lost a legal challenge against the Home Office last year after the department downgraded his security status following his departure from royal duties.
Harry subsequently insisted that bringing Meghan and the children to the UK without such protection would be unsafe.
This week, however, sources indicated a “safe return” had become possible owing to alterations in security provisions.
Meghan has not visited the country for nearly four years, with her last appearance being the late Queen’s funeral.
The family’s journey to Britain comes as Harry and his father continue efforts to mend their fractured relationship.
Last September, the pair met at Clarence House during one of the Duke’s charity visits, their first face-to-face encounter in 18 months.
Though brief, the meeting sparked optimism that reconciliation might be achievable.
Since relocating to America, the King has met his grandchildren on just a single occasion.
Archie lived in Britain during his first year, but Lilibet was born in California after her parents’ transatlantic move.
The young princess has visited the UK only once, celebrating her first birthday at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor in 2022.
Both Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes have been approached for comment.
