Prince Harry will visit the United Kingdom next week without his wife, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet. The family had originally planned to travel to London, but the revised itinerary means Meghan and the children will not accompany him.

The decision follows confirmation that taxpayer-funded police security would not be provided for the family during their time in London. It is understood that discussions are ongoing regarding security for the latter part of the visit. It remains possible that Meghan and the children could join Prince Harry later in the week when his trip moves to Birmingham to promote the Invictus Games.

Prince Harry was scheduled to attend meetings related to the Invictus Games at the Royal Hospital Chelsea on Wednesday with Meghan. He will now attend these engagements alone. The original London plans had included the possibility of a reunion with King Charles, who has not seen his grandchildren, aged seven and five, in person for four years. London was considered the most likely venue for such a meeting, especially after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had accepted an offer to stay in a royal residence.

The change in plans has led to uncertainty about whether a meeting between the King and his grandchildren will occur. Buckingham Palace has stated it is making no comment on private family matters. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their roles as senior royals in 2020, which impacted their security arrangements when visiting the UK.

Sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex indicated that the move was prompted by concerns from Prince Harry's personal security team. They cited a lack of an up-to-date assessment from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee's (Ravec) Risk Management Board, which is responsible for determining security provision for senior royals and other high-profile individuals for the UK government. The Home Office stated its long-standing policy is not to provide detailed information on protective security arrangements to avoid compromising their integrity or affecting individuals' security.

Prince Harry has been engaged in a dispute with the UK government regarding security since his decision to step down as a senior royal and relocate to the United States. The core of the disagreement revolves around Ravec's assessment that his security needs in the UK should be different due to his status as an infrequent visitor.

Reports had suggested the later part of the trip might include a visit to Althorp in Northampton, the ancestral home of Prince Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. There were understood to be plans for Prince Harry to take his wife and children to his mother's private grave. However, the current status of these plans is unclear.

If Meghan does join Prince Harry in the UK later in the week, she is expected to attend an event with him at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre to mark the one-year countdown to the venue hosting the Invictus Games. The prince will also visit Birmingham's children's hospital to support the charity WellChild, an organization he has continued to back since moving to the US.