Prince Harry Says Bringing Archie, Lilibet To The UK Too Risky Due Lack Of Police Protection For The Sussexes

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who currently reside in Montecito, California, will reportedly find it hard to fly back to London this summer for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations amid police protection concerns for two-year-old Archie and seven-month-old Lilibet, who is yet to meet her royal grandmother.

Harry, who stands sixth in line to the throne, and Meghan left their royal duties in early 2020 and have since made California their home, where they hired private security to keep them safe. Back when they were serving royals for the British throne, the Sussexes received taxpayer-funded police protection.

On Sunday evening, a legal representative for the Sussexes issued a statement confirming that the Prince sought a judicial review after the Home Office dismissed his offer to pay for police protection once his family landed on U.K. soil, Town & Country noted.

“The UK will always be Prince Harry’s home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in. With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk. Prince Harry hopes that his petition – after close to two years of pleas for security in the UK – will resolve this situation,” the statement reads.

The announcement further noted that Harry, who “inherited a security risk at birth, for life,” won't be able to fly back with his wife and children as their private security team does not have the local intelligence and legal jurisdiction needed to keep them safe while in London, the BBC noted.

The prince served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, which made his family more exposed to neo-Nazi and extremist threats. In July, Harry's security was reportedly compromised while leaving the WellChild event as part of his visit to unveil the statue of his late mother, Princess Diana.

The announcement severely dampens any prospect of the Sussexes reuniting with the royal family for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer.

Meanwhile, British Government officials refrained from commenting any further on the issue, and in dry words, said its security system is “rigorous and proportionate," according to the Associated Press.