Prince Harry will travel to the UK next week for a visit related to the Invictus Games, but his wife, Meghan, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, will not accompany him to London as originally planned. The decision stems from concerns over security arrangements, specifically the absence of taxpayer-funded police protection for the family during their time in the capital.

Originally, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had accepted an offer to stay in a royal residence in London, raising expectations of a potential family reunion with King Charles. The King has not seen his grandchildren, aged seven and five, in person for four years, and London was considered the most likely venue for such a meeting. However, with Meghan and the children now absent from the London leg, it remains uncertain if any meeting between the King and his grandchildren will occur.

The change means Meghan will not join Prince Harry for a planned visit to the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Wednesday to discuss Invictus Games matters. Prince Harry is expected to attend this engagement alone. Discussions are reportedly ongoing regarding security for the latter part of the visit, with no definitive decisions made.

This revised schedule comes after uncertainty surrounding the trip's progression. Sources close to the Duke and Duchess cited concerns from Prince Harry's personal security team, who had been reviewing arrangements. A significant factor appears to be the lack of an up-to-date assessment from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee's (Ravec) Risk Management Board, which determines security provisions for prominent figures.

A Home Office spokesperson stated that it is their "long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on protective security arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security." This situation highlights the ongoing dispute between Prince Harry and the UK government regarding his security arrangements since he stepped back from his senior royal role in 2020 and moved to the United States.

The trip is scheduled to move from London to Birmingham on Thursday. While in Birmingham, Prince Harry is slated to visit the city's children's hospital to support the charity WellChild, an organization he has continued to champion from the US. If Meghan does join her husband later in the week, it is anticipated she will attend an event at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games being hosted there.

Reports had suggested the latter part of the visit might include a trip to Althorp, the Northamptonshire estate of Prince Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, with plans for Prince Harry to take his wife and children to his mother's private grave. The absence of Meghan and the children from the initial London visit casts doubt on whether these more personal engagements will proceed as envisioned.

Prince Harry's legal challenge against the Ravec decision, which deemed his security provision would be reduced due to his infrequent visits to the UK, underscores the complex security landscape he navigates when traveling to his home country.