Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly preparing to bring Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet back to the U.K. for the first time in four years.
The reported July visit would bring the Sussex family back to Harry’s home country after years of security concerns and distance from the royal family. Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, last visited Britain in June 2022 during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
People reported that the trip may coincide with events marking the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027. A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan was contacted for comment, but the couple has not directly announced the visit.
The Trip Is Expected to Center on Invictus
Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. The next Games are scheduled for July 2027 in Birmingham, with the one-year countdown event expected to take place this July.
The Guardian reported that Harry plans to bring Meghan and the children to an event connected to the countdown. The same report said Harry has received a full risk assessment and is awaiting a final security decision from the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec.
Sky News also reported that the family is expected in the U.K. next month and that Harry has been assured adequate security supervision will be in place for the trip.
The Children Have Not Been Back Since the Jubilee
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Archie and Lilibet’s last U.K. visit was low-profile. During the Platinum Jubilee trip, Harry and Meghan attended public events including the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral, while the children were not part of the main public royal appearances.
The trip also included Lilibet’s first birthday celebration at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. Since then, Harry has returned to the U.K. several times without Meghan and the children. Meghan has not been back since September 2022, when she and Harry remained in Britain for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral events.
The reported return would also bring Archie back to the country where he was born. Lilibet was born in California in 2021, after Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties and moved to the United States.
Security Has Shaped the Family’s U.K. Visits
Harry has repeatedly said he does not feel safe bringing Meghan and the children to the U.K. without appropriate police protection. In a statement to the High Court, he said the U.K. is central to his children’s heritage but that they cannot feel at home there without the possibility of being kept safe on U.K. soil.
Earlier this year, Harry lost his legal challenge over automatic police protection. The reported July trip would come after that court fight, with security arrangements again sitting at the center of whether the family can travel together.
The U.K. government does not usually discuss individual protective-security arrangements. That means any final details around the Sussexes’ reported visit are unlikely to be shared publicly before the trip.
A Meeting With King Charles Is Still Unclear
The possible return has raised questions about whether King Charles will see Archie and Lilibet. The Guardian reported that the King has not seen his youngest grandchildren in person since 2022.
Harry has spoken publicly about wanting reconciliation with his family, but neither Buckingham Palace nor the Sussexes has confirmed any private family plans around the reported July visit. It is also not known whether Archie and Lilibet would see their royal cousins during the trip.