The Sussexes confirmed: they will visit the UK, but the children will not participate in events

When we heard, just days after Trooping the Colour, that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be traveling to the UK with their children, I believed the broad strokes of the British reporting. It sounded believable and likely that Harry wanted Meghan to join him at the Invictus Games One Year to Go events and that he wanted to bring his children to spend time with his father and the Spencers. Prince Harry and Meghan’s team didn’t confirm anything for a week and a half, but they didn’t (significantly) deny anything either. My theory is that the reporting comes from palace courtiers, sources who probably spilled their guts as soon as Harry gave RAVEC the required 30-day notice. As in, the same senior courtiers who sat at RAVEC were given a month’s notice and couldn’t wait to leak it to the Sun and Mail. In any case, Harry and Meghan’s team in California have now confirmed a lot of details about the trip.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are bringing their family to Britain for the first time in four years, PEOPLE has learned. It will be the first time Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, have been to the country since they visited to celebrate the platinum jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth in 2022.

The family plans to live across a mix of both royal residence and private accommodation. While Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet travel with their parents, PEOPLE understands they will not be attending any public engagements.

Harry has long maintained that he does not feel it is safe to bring Meghan and their children to the UK after losing their taxpayer-funded police protection in 2020. PEOPLE understands that a review of his security arrangements by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), which could affect the level of protection he receives during visits to the UK, has not yet been completed. Representatives for the Duke say RAVEC’s own terms of reference call for a review by the Risk Management Board at least once a year, but Harry’s last review was carried out almost seven years ago.

However, if the Sussexes are staying in one of the King’s residences, they would be covered by the existing security arrangements at the property. Buckingham Palace revealed on June 19 that King Charles had offered Harry and his family accommodation at a royal property during their visit, although it has not been revealed where they will be staying.

During their time in the U.K., PEOPLE has learned that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will make a series of public engagements centered around the Invictus Games Foundation and Prince Harry’s longtime charitable work. Harry will attend the 14th Invictus Games Foundation Conversation: From Policy to Practice at Chatham House, while he and Meghan will also attend a series of private meetings with the Invictus Games Foundation at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. As Patron of WellChild, Harry will visit Birmingham Children’s Hospital to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the charity’s first WellChild Nurse.

To mark a year to the 2027 Invictus Games, the couple will visit Birmingham’s National Exhibition Center (NEC), the primary venue for the Games. Harry will watch and take part in a series of exhibition events alongside competitors from previous Invictus Games, officially launching the one-year countdown while showcasing both classic and new adaptive sports that will feature in Birmingham.

In his role as global ambassador for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, Harry will also attend Scotty’s summer festival at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire. The charity supports bereaved military children and young people.

(From humans)

I enjoy that Team Sussex’s briefing is very work-focused and it is a reminder that this visit is indeed a work travel. Meghan clearly wants to join Harry at many (if not all) of these events as well. Which will inevitably cause the most consternation among those left behind. They’re going to cry for weeks/months about Harry and Meghan “behaving royally” and “engaging royally” because H&M is doing things like “visiting hospitals” and “attending a WellChild event.” The Telegraph’s headline on all this was: “Meghan is visiting the hospital in her first UK engagement in six years.” They are so excited, but they have to pretend to be furious and outraged.

Also: Harry and Meghan make it clear that Archie and Lili will not be attending any events or being in public in any way. The British press practically have gifts for those children, and several of the tabloids drool at the very idea of ​​publishing pictures of cute ginger children. It’s not going to happen.

Here’s a news item – according to the Telegraph and other British media, just hours after the Sussexes’ office confirmed their trip to the UK, Harry was informed that he and his family will not receive police protection. According to the Telegraph, “Details of the trip were announced on Friday evening. Shortly afterwards, The Telegraph understands, the Duke was informed that his application for a security package for the visit had been refused.” Not only that, but apparently RAVEC still haven’t completed a risk assessment for Harry and his family, despite Harry formally asking for one last year. Harry was informed that no assessment has been made and that everything has been “paused”. What a mess. Now sources say Harry may not be taking Meghan and the kids after all. If this is true, Harry will probably be jumping in front of a TV camera soon, because this is very obviously a HUGE set up.

Images courtesy of Cover Images, Meghan’s Instagram.