Harry and Meghan threaten to leave UK over security row

Just one month after returning to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are considering leaving the country and returning to California. The reason: the British Home Office may decide not to fund police protection for them at taxpayer expense.

Sources close to the couple said over the weekend that the two may leave the country if they are not granted fully funded police protection. The initial report was published by Daily Mail editor Alison Boshoff.

Prince Harry lost his automatic entitlement to funded security in 2020, when he and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties and moved abroad. The prince attempted to challenge the decision in court, but his appeals were rejected. Now, their return to Britain has led to a fresh review of the matter by the Home Office.

During a discussion on the network series "Palace Confidential," featuring Richard Eden, Sarah Vine and royal biographer Robert Hardman, the ultimatum drew sharp criticism. Royal commentator Richard Eden described the move as "a form of blackmail."

"It would be absolutely outrageous to give the Sussexes, after the King has only recently made it clear that they are private citizens, the security that other working royals receive," Eden said. "Honestly, it makes a mockery of the whole thing and looks like a form of blackmail. It's as if they're saying, 'We'll move to Britain in an attempt to get taxpayers to pay for our security.'"

Eden warned that "the implications of this are enormous because if they get this, it means Harry and Meghan can come and go and still get police protection, and they can also say they want the same security in America."

Children enrolled in schools: Harry and Meghan return to Britain after six years (Photo: Official page)

The royal commentator added that "it's quite possible that American taxpayers, who are already under pressure, will find themselves forced to pay for their security as well. Harry and Meghan would be absolutely delighted. Someone else will pay these enormous costs."

In contrast, Prince Harry has argued repeatedly that as the King's son and as someone who served in Afghanistan, he faces serious threats and deserves appropriate protection.

Journalist Sarah Vine estimated that receiving security would be conditional on returning to official duties. "If Harry wants to get security, he's going to have to go back to doing royal duties. It's inevitable. They'll eventually tell him, 'You can have the protection, but you're going to have to start doing some royal duties,'" Vine said.

Vine emphasized: "I'm not talking about Meghan, just Harry. He's good at these things, and if he does it himself, she doesn't have to be involved."

It should be noted that currently, even King Charles's siblings, Prince Edward and Princess Anne, do not receive full-time police protection but only when performing official duties. Prince Andrew, who no longer carries out representative functions, is also in a separate status.

Prince William and his brother Harry (Photo: Shutterstock)

The issue of Harry and Meghan's security made headlines recently when the couple had to remove their children from the school where they had been placed at the start of the academic year, just two days after they began attending. The reason: the Sussexes' private security team was concerned that the distance and heavy traffic on the original transport route made security difficult.

On behalf of the couple, it was stated that they "remain grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they showed their family," and emphasized that "this decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children received there."