Security debate intensifies ahead of Sussexes' UK return
As Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, prepare to move back to the United Kingdom, the question of their security arrangements has become a subject of public and political debate. The couple, who left royal duties and relocated to California in 2020, are expected to arrive within the next few weeks, according to reports.
The Home Office has kept quiet on the level of protection the family will receive, though it is believed that a review by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) has been completed. Ravec, which includes officials from the Home Office, Foreign Office, Cabinet Office, the Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Household, is responsible for advising on protective security for the Royal Family and key public figures.
The estimated cost of providing security for the Sussexes could reach £5 million per year, according to figures cited in several reports.
Political voices weigh in
Former Labour home secretary Lord David Blunkett, who led the Home Office from 2001 to 2004, has suggested a "middle ground" approach. In comments to The Times on Sunday, he outlined three tiers of security: a fully protected vehicle with close protection officers on 24-hour standby, a middle tier with one or two officers travelling with the principal, and a third tier with a driver with security training. Blunkett said the middle option was "a perfectly reasonable thing to offer for the time being," with a reassessment possible after a couple of years.
Dame Emily Thornberry, Labour chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said: "They deserve to be secure." Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has also called for a "common sense" solution to the question of publicly funded protection.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the matter as "a private matter" and said: "It's a matter for Harry and for Meghan, and we wish them well in the move that they are making."
Government's stance and Ravec's role
Downing Street has indicated that the security arrangements will be kept "under review." A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said: "We do not provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so would compromise their security. But the executive committee for the protection of royalty and public figures keeps protective security for the Royal Family and key public figures in Great Britain under review."
Ravec is known to have been previously chaired by Sir Richard Mottram, a former senior civil servant, but his replacement has not been publicly named.
The committee's review is separate from the couple's past legal battles. Last year, the Duke of Sussex lost a legal challenge to overturn a Ravec decision that had downgraded his security after he stopped being a working royal. A long-awaited reassessment is thought to have concluded, and the Duke has since written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood asking that the results be shared with him.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond, speaking on GB News, said Harry had expected the review to conclude months ago but discovered it had stalled, partly because of demands on protection forces with many living prime ministers. Bond noted that in 2019 Harry had the highest level of security, along with the late Queen and the Prime Minister, and that he does not believe there is any reason for that to have changed.
Family plans and personal impact
The Sussexes have reportedly enrolled their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in a school near their new home in the UK. They plan to live in a non-royal residence outside London, reportedly close to King Charles's Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire.
During a visit to the UK in July to mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, Meghan was reportedly unable to join her husband for some engagements due to security concerns. A source told People that she felt a "lot of sadness" at not being able to be by Harry's side, but added that she is "very supportive" of him. The family was hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla during that visit.
Prince Harry has previously argued that his children cannot "feel at home" in the UK if it is "not possible to keep them safe," and that he has been "singled out" for "inferior treatment." He has also expressed a desire to visit his family in the UK more often.
The Home Office has said that the UK's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate, but has declined to provide detailed information on specific arrangements, citing security concerns.