Plans Linked to the Invictus Games

According to reports, the Duchess of Sussex may travel back to Britain with Prince Harry in the coming months to support the Invictus Games—provided a crucial condition is met. Meghan, 44, has not been back to the UK since September 2022, when she and Harry attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

The couple left Britain under strained circumstances two years earlier, after stepping away from royal duties and relocating to Montecito, California, with their children, Prince Archie, now six, and Princess Lilibet, four.

Harry’s Limited Visits Since Leaving the UK

Since the move, Prince Harry has returned to the UK only a few times. His most recent visit was in September, when he held a private, hour-long meeting with his father, King Charles III, at Clarence House.

Now, however, a review of Harry’s taxpayer-funded security arrangements has raised the possibility of Meghan joining him for an Invictus Games-related event in Birmingham on July 10.

Security as the Deciding Factor

Sources close to the Sussexes say the issue of security remains central to any decision about Meghan’s return.

“Security is always going to be the deciding factor in this,” a source close to the Sussexes told The Sun on Sunday.

Harry has repeatedly spoken about wanting police protection for himself and his family while in the UK—protection that was removed after he and Meghan stepped down as working royals.

Legal Battle Over Police Protection

In May, the Duke of Sussex lost a High Court challenge seeking to have his security reinstated. However, he later wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who approved a formal review of the decision.

That review will be conducted by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), the same body Harry previously challenged in court. The outcome is expected to be announced “very soon.”

If police protection is granted, sources told The Times that Meghan is likely to attend the one-year countdown event for the Invictus Games and may even bring the couple’s children with her.

Meghan’s Ongoing Support for Invictus

Meghan has long been a visible supporter of the Invictus Games, which Harry founded for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel. She has attended events in Vancouver and Whistler in February 2024 and previously appeared at a countdown ceremony in Düsseldorf in September 2022.

A source close to the Sussexes said the Duchess would welcome a return to Britain with her family.

“I think she would come back with him [and the children],” the source told The Times.

“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.”

Future Royal Involvement and Upcoming Visits

It has also been reported that Prince Harry has asked his father to open the Invictus Games alongside him in 2027. While formal invitations have not yet been sent, The Sun reports that the King and other senior royals are expected to be invited if they wish to attend.

In the nearer term, the Invictus Games Foundation is organizing a series of promotional events in Birmingham this summer, with invitations already extended to representatives of participating countries.

Harry is also due back in the UK for a separate legal case against Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) on January 19, and again in September for the annual WellChild Awards.

Relationship with the King Remains Distant

It is understood that King Charles will be in Scotland during Harry’s January visit, meaning the two will not meet.

“It has been a busy few months preparing for the case and he wants to see where the chips fall with the trial and his security,” a friend of the Prince told The Times.

“There are a lot of things he’s not looking forward to with the trial. But beyond that, he’s really looking forward to the year ahead.”