Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet may soon set foot in the UK for the first time in years, as Prince Harry edges closer to resolving the one issue he says has kept his children away: security.
For years, the Duke of Sussex has insisted that without guaranteed police protection, it is simply not safe to bring Meghan Markle and their two children back to Britain. Now, that barrier may finally be shifting.
A crucial security review is currently underway by the UK Home Office — a process that could dramatically change everything for Harry and his family. If the outcome goes in his favor, royal insiders say a UK visit with Archie and Lilibet in 2026 is suddenly very much on the table.
According to The Guardian, Harry personally wrote to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, formally requesting a full reassessment of his security risk. In response, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) has instructed its risk management board to reevaluate Harry’s threat level — the first such review since 2020.
A decision is expected as early as this month.
The development marks a major turning point after years of legal setbacks. In 2024, Prince Harry returned to the UK for a two-day court hearing in a last-ditch appeal against the government’s decision to remove his automatic police protection. In May, the Court of Appeal unanimously ruled against him, stating he had not been treated unfairly when officials decided his security would be assessed on a case-by-case basis for each visit.
Despite that loss, Harry has continued pushing — and now, nearly six years after stepping back from royal life and leaving the UK, RAVEC has agreed to take another look at the risks surrounding him.
Under current rules, Harry must give the Metropolitan Police 30 days’ notice before traveling to Britain, allowing authorities to decide what level of protection, if any, he will receive during his stay.
Former royal correspondent Jennie Bond told The Mirror that a favorable outcome could remove one of the biggest obstacles keeping Harry away from his home country — and possibly bring his children with him.
“If his security review goes in his favour, he will feel that a major barrier to visiting the UK more often — and perhaps bringing his children here — has been lifted,” she said. She also noted that the ongoing security dispute has complicated Harry’s already fragile relationship with King Charles.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Sussex remains entangled in another high-profile legal battle. His phone-hacking lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail is scheduled to go to trial in early 2026.
Harry is one of seven claimants — alongside Baroness Lawrence and Sir Elton John — accusing Associated Newspapers of unlawful information-gathering practices stretching back three decades. The publisher has strongly denied the allegations, filing defenses in all cases in 2024.
With a security decision looming and major court battles ahead, 2026 could mark a turning point for Prince Harry — and potentially the first UK visit in years for Archie and Lilibet.
Whether the long-separated royal family will reunite on British soil remains to be seen — but for the first time in years, the door may finally be opening.
