Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the United Kingdom hoping to begin what they have presented as a major new chapter for their family, but instead they have walked almost immediately into one controversy after another, from security disputes and questions over their new life in Britain to King Charles III’s extraordinary letter clarifying their position within the monarchy, and now a fresh argument over whether the Sussexes themselves may be contributing to the very security concerns they have spent years warning about.

That raises an uncomftable question that has been difficult for many observers to ignore: why return to Britain before having a clearer answer about their security arrangements, particularly when Harry has spent years fighting to regain the level of protection he once received as a working royal?

The question became even more pointed after Meghan shared a video showing Harry, Archie and Lilibet enjoying the English countryside, apparently near their new home in the Cotswolds. The footage showed a pond, bridge, farm track and other geographical features that, according to the Daily Beast, could make the family’s location relatively easy for people familiar with the area to identify.

And the timing was remarkable. Just a day later, it emerged that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, had agreed to review the Sussexes’ security arrangements and conduct a new risk assessment. Harry has spent years challenging decisions surrounding his protection after stepping down as a working royal, making the sudden appearance of a new security review particularly significant.

For Daily Beast royal expert Tom Sykes, however, the situation raises a much more uncomfortable possibility.

“It seems an almost unbelievably stupid thing to do,” Sykes said of the video, questioning the suggestion that Harry and Meghan simply did not realize the location could potentially be identified.

Then came the most explosive allegation. “It does seem like they are creating security risks deliberately to bolster the argument that they want armed security,” Sykes said.

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That is Sykes’ interpretation, rather than an established finding about Harry or Meghan’s intentions, but it immediately changes the way the episode can be viewed because security has been one of the most persistent and emotionally charged issues surrounding Harry’s relationship with Britain.

Alison Boshoff, Daily Mail editor-at-large, also questioned how such information could have been publicly disclosed given Harry’s experience as a senior member of the Royal Family.

“It’s a cynical take, but I mean, you know… I did think… ‘Can he be that stupid?’” Boshoff said, arguing that Harry would have been advised throughout his royal life not to reveal information that could make him easier to locate.

“Never, because it makes you a target,” she added.

Boshoff then offered two possible explanations, saying Harry had either forgotten such advice or remembered it perfectly well and that the disclosure was part of the “amazing hand of cards that he’s playing.”

That criticism lands against an already complicated backdrop. Harry and Meghan’s return has coincided with King Charles making clear that the couple are not working royals and that their position is “akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.” The couple’s office previously said they were “surprised” by the letter, adding another layer to an already strained relationship with the institution Harry was born into.

And Harry’s security battle has been remarkably persistent. As Sykes put it, “One of the remarkable features of this story over the past five years” has been Harry’s continued confidence that his security situation would improve, while RAVEC has repeatedly maintained its position. He summarized the committee’s stance as: “A, you’re not eligible; B, we’ve got nine prime ministers to worry about; and C, we’ve got no money and no policemen anyway.”

So the Sussexes now find themselves in a strange position: they have returned to the country where Harry says his family faces serious security concerns, while simultaneously navigating a new risk assessment and criticism over a video that critics say made their location easier to identify.

Whether the countryside footage was simply an innocent family moment, a serious lapse in judgment or something more deliberate is not established by the evidence presented in the Daily Beast report. But one thing is undeniable: Harry and Meghan’s British return has brought the security question roaring back into the headlines, and this time the questions are coming not only from their critics but from the choices the couple themselves are making in public.