Call it a Christmas miracle or a New Year’s gift for Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. It has been confirmed that the Duke of Sussex’s lengthy and costly fight was not in vain. The Duke has managed to regain the full-time, armed security he hoped for whenever he and his family travel to the U.K.
Insiders tell PEOPLE there are “positive” noises coming from the government that Prince Harry’s fully tax-funded security will be restored very soon. The British government effectively had no choice but to restore the protection after an official review found that Harry, 41, meets the criteria for inclusion in the taxpayer-funded security cover.
The Long Road To Regaining RAVEC Protection
For several years, the Duke of Sussex has been fighting in the courts and in the media to have the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) grant him the level of security they took away after he stepped down from his royal duties in 2020. RAVEC is composed of members of the government’s Home Office, the Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Household.
According to The Mail on Sunday: “The committee had found that the criteria for the top-level security measures had been met.”
A source close to Prince Harry told the media outlet: “It’s now a formality. Sources at the Home Office have indicated that security is nailed on for Harry.”
Prince Harry’s Desperate Wish For A Safe Homeland
The stunning revelations from the committee imply that Prince Harry can finally do what he has been talking about — bring his family to London to bond with King Charles III and discover their traditions and heritage. Harry has been vocal about his desire to return to his native land, but he repeatedly stated that safety was the only thing standing in his way.
In a statement to the High Court, the Prince shared: “The U.K. is my home. The U.K. is central to my children’s heritage and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live now in the U.S. That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on U.K. soil.”
He further emphasized this heartbreak during an interview, noting: “I miss the U.K. It’s really quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland. I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K. [without security] at this point.”
Meghan Markle: A Gift She Never Wanted?
Despite Harry’s win, some royal insiders and reporters suggest the Prince is giving his wife a gift she never asked for. There are claims that Meghan has permanently cut ties with the U.K. and has no intention of returning — not with her husband, and certainly not with her young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Royal author Christopher Andersen, who wrote the book Brothers and Wives, told Us Weekly that this outcome puts Meghan in an “awkward position” because she remains wary of a hostile environment.
He noted: “This puts Meghan in a rather awkward position, since I really don’t think she is eager to return to what she sees as a somewhat hostile environment.”
A Grandfather’s Love vs. Royal Reality
Andersen went on to lament how unbearable it must be for King Charles not to see his grandchildren. While the security win might open the door to a visit, it does not guarantee a full royal reconciliation, as King Charles has made no effort to be with his grandchildren in the past.
He added: “If Harry and Meghan do return to London with Archie and Lilibet, it will be so the children can begin to forge some sort of real relationship with their grandfather, the king. Charles is a huge softy when it comes to his grandkids, so I’m sure they’d be welcomed with open arms.”
However, the expert concluded with a dose of reality regarding the couple’s status: “But that doesn’t mean that Harry will ever be fully embraced by the Royal Family and allowed to return to some sort of semi-official role. That ship has sailed — and that goes double for Meghan.”
This might be the beginning of a new chapter.
