Meghan Markle May Be Rethinking Her Stance on Returning to the UK
Security concerns played a central role in Markle’s absence from UK visits.
Meghan Markle may be reconsidering her long-standing absence from the U.K. amid fresh discussions about Prince Harry’s security arrangements, which could signal a potential shift, according to royal experts. The possibility of renewed protection is said to be reopening conversations about whether the Duchess could return to the U.K. after years of staying away.
The views put forward by the royal author Duncan Larcombe discuss how security concerns played a central role in Markle’s absence from U.K. visits. As per The Mirror, he said, “The security issue has essentially been used as an excuse for Meghan not to come to the UK in the last few years. But many people think the real reason is to do with the public reaction that she’d receive over here.” He mentioned, “If the protection is put back in place for Harry and Meghan when they’re on UK soil, then there’s really no excuse for her to stay away, so she has to be considering doing a U-turn – she has no choice but to think about it given the new review.”
Lambombe also believes the return won’t be straightforward and added, “But, effectively, she’ll come face to face with the British public and members of the family that she’s been at pains to criticise. She will want to support Harry how she can, and has also said that she doesn’t like to be away from her children for long, so there are going to be some difficult decisions either way.” He concluded, “I don’t think it’s in Meghan’s character to eat humble pie, and if she comes to the UK, humble pie is exactly what’s on the menu for her.” The Sussexes haven’t appeared together in the U.K. since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022.
Security has been a central obstacle when it comes to the couple’s U.K. visits. Harry has repeatedly insisted it’s impossible for him to safely bring his wife and kids to his home country following his court defeat last year. After losing the case, he said during an interview with the BBC, “I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.” Since stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020, his security has been downgraded and provided on a case-by-case basis.
Despite this, Harry traveled to the U.K. in September 2025 to privately meet with his father, King Charles. It was their first time coming face-to-face in 19 months since the latter revealed his cancer diagnosis. While the visit centered around a series of work commitments, Markle wasn’t by his side. The prince has consistently maintained that the lack of guaranteed high-level protection remains the most significant barrier in any family visit.
While the decision on the Sussexes' future security is imminent. As per The Guardian, Harry wrote privately to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Shabana Mahmood, in September 2025, requesting a full security risk assessment. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, also known as RAVEC, has since asked its risk management board to reassess the threat level for the first time since 2020. The outcome of the same is expected later this month.
