A forthcoming review of police protection for Prince Harry is reshaping expectations around whether Meghan Markle could return to the United Kingdom for the first time in nearly four years, potentially with taxpayer-funded security. The outcome of the review could also determine whether the couple's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are able to visit Britain under state protection.
Meghan last visited the UK in September 2022, while Archie and Lilibet have not returned since June of that year, when they attended Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. Since then, security arrangements have remained the principal barrier to any further family visits, particularly involving the children.
Under current rules, Harry is contesting decisions that removed his automatic entitlement to publicly funded police protection when in Britain. If the forthcoming review rules in his favor, protection would extend to immediate family members traveling with him, including Meghan and their children. Such an outcome would place the cost of their security on British taxpayers, a prospect that has already prompted political and media scrutiny.
Commentators have framed the issue less as a personal matter for the Duchess than as a question of the children's ties to the UK. Sarah Vine, writing for the Daily Mail, captured that distinction, stating: "There is only one instance in which it would be acceptable for the taxpayer to foot the bill for Meghan's presence on this island, and that is if she accompanies Lilibet and Archie as they visit their British relatives." She added: "However toxic her behaviour, however troubling her exploitation of the royal brand, she is nevertheless the mother of these two young royals. They deserve to see their family."
The emphasis on family has also been echoed by people close to the Sussexes. Speaking to The Times, an insider said: "I think she would come back with him and the children. They love to do stuff as a family whenever they can, and when they do things as a couple philanthropically, they often do take the kids along privately. I can't see a reason why he'd come over with the kids without her."
That framing differs sharply from earlier debates over Meghan's UK presence, which were often cast in terms of celebrity, controversy and strained relations with the royal household. Instead, the current discussion centers on whether Archie and Lilibet, who have spent most of their lives in California, should be able to maintain direct connections with their British relatives.
A potential visit has been discussed for July, when Britain is expected to host events marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. Harry is confirmed to travel to the UK in the coming days for legal proceedings, though Meghan and the children will remain in the United States for that trip.
