Prince Harry Scores Major Security Breakthrough Ahead of His UK Return: Report
Earlier, in response to security concerns, the RAVEC committee offered limited support to the Duke, primarily a police liaison contact.
After stepping down from royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry's protection cover came under RAVEC (Royal and VIP Executive Committee). His security was decided on a case-by-case basis every time the Duke visited the UK. Now, amid news of the Sussexes making a homecoming along with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, their security concerns have come into the spotlight again since the children are expected to start school in September. The family is expected to set up base in a non-royal residence.
Recently, when Prime Minister Andy Burnham was questioned about the Sussexes' security, he avoided the matter altogether, remarking that it was a "private matter." However, the Duke could be heaving a sigh of relief since he might have passed a huge hurdle before his return.
GB News reported that the security committee has completed a risk assessment for Harry and his family. The assessment was believed to have been conducted at the end of July. Additionally, RAVEC is now considering whether they should receive taxpayer-funded armed police protection during their return to Britain. The Duke has been anticipating the outcome since being formally notified of its completion. The publication further noted that the family's decision to return to the UK was hastened by the availability of educational opportunities in prominent schools for Archie and Lilibet, who had been on a waiting list. The significant development suggests the Sussexes might receive state-funded armed protection while they remain as non-working royals.
During an earlier assessment in April 2019, Harry's security was at the maximum threat level of seven, alongside Queen Elizabeth and the then-Prime Minister. He was granted a new risk assessment late last year, reversing the Home Office's earlier stance that such evaluations were suspended. The updated analysis was rendered crucial to his legal challenge against the Government, as he argued that fair conclusions could not be made without assessing the current threats he faced. However, he lost the case in May 2025, claiming an "establishment stitch-up." Although the Home Secretary is not directly involved in individual security decisions, Harry has continued to lobby by privately urging Shabana Mahmood to reconsider his security arrangements. It has to be noted that RAVEC's membership includes the Royal Household, Metropolitan Police, Home Office, Cabinet Office, and Foreign Office.
Earlier, in response to security concerns, the committee offered limited support to the Duke, primarily a police liaison contact. A recent 40-page threat assessment indicated he faces an "elevated risk" in the UK, especially from domestic terror plots and "lone actors." The report noted how negative media portrayals contribute to this risk. Now, before the Sussexes' homecoming, the committee has completed the said assessment. "The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security," a spokeswoman from the Home Office stated.
