Meghan Markle's UK Return This Summer Could Be a Big 'Win' For the Sussexes: Expert
As per a royal expert, the Invictus Games Birmingham countdown event in July could be the moment that confirms Harry and Meghan's security deal is done.
Meghan Markle has not returned to the UK in three and a half years. The reason is entirely expected: a controversial figure since her royal exit, without guaranteed police security, a visit simply hasn't been on the table. But that may be about to change.
The last time Markle set foot in the UK was in September 2022, when she stood alongside Prince Harry to mourn the passing of Queen Elizabeth. It was a sombre occasion. In the years since, Harry has spoken openly about his desire to bring his family home, to let their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, forge a connection with a country that is, by every measure of heritage, theirs. But desire alone could not override the reality on the ground – without adequate security, a return simply wasn't possible.
But things may be changing. In the latest episode of HELLO!'s A Right Royal Podcast, royal expert Matt Wilkinson joined hosts Emily Nash and Andrea Caamano to discuss what a Markle return might actually look like — and crucially, what it would mean if it happened. According to Wilkinson, the summer is something to watch out for. Specifically, watch whether Markle shows up for the Invictus Games Birmingham one-year countdown event, expected to take place in early July at the city's National Exhibition Centre.
“I think we will know if they've got their security back if Meghan comes this summer for the Invictus Games year-out event," he said. "If Meghan comes to the UK, then you can guarantee that they've won their security deal. But I think we'll have to wait. I think we'll have to wait until the summer."
Earlier this year, reports emerged that the Home Office had undergone a change of heart, with officials indicating that automatic 24-hour, taxpayer-funded armed police protection would likely be reinstated for the Duke whenever he visits the UK. An official announcement has yet to be made, though it was suggested back in January that a decision would come 'within weeks.'
The Invictus Games themselves, set for Birmingham in summer 2027, carry enormous personal weight for Harry. The city was chosen over Washington, D.C. as the host, and Wilkinson suggests Harry's connection to Birmingham is not only about logistics. "I think it's a big event for him," Wilkinson noted on the podcast. "I mean, I think it was between Washington D.C. and Birmingham, they were the two candidate cities for Invictus. And it's not like the Olympics, where you have loads of members voting. I think there was only one decision. It was going to be Birmingham, and he wanted to bring his whole family down here. He wants to sit there with the royal family, in the stands. But that's very optimistic."
