United News of Bangladesh

Prince Harry's upcoming visit to the UK has sparked widespread media attention, with speculation focused less on his charity work and more on whether his wife Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will join him. Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, is due to arrive in Britain on Monday for a series of charity events beginning Tuesday. However, British media have spent the past 10 days discussing whether Meghan and the children will travel with him and whether the youngsters will have a chance to spend time with their grandfather, King Charles. The uncertainty centres on security arrangements. Harry has been seeking government-funded police protection for his family, arguing that it would be unsafe for Meghan and the children to visit the UK without it. The ‘Times’ of London reported on Saturday that, with only days remaining before Harry's first public engagement, very little had been confirmed. The ‘Telegraph’ described the possible meeting between Archie, Lilibet and the King as a "now or never" moment. Harry, a former British Army officer who served in Afghanistan, planned the trip to mark one year before the next Invictus Games, the international sporting event he founded for wounded and injured military veterans. Alongside his charity engagements, Harry is also awaiting a High Court ruling in London on Tuesday in his privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the ‘Daily Mail’. The case, although not part of his official itinerary, has attracted significant media attention. According to British media reports citing unnamed sources, Harry's decision on whether Meghan and the children will join him depends on whether the UK government agrees to provide police protection. Security has remained a key issue during every visit Harry has made to Britain since he and Meghan stepped down from royal duties and moved to North America six years ago. British authorities maintain that Harry is no longer entitled to automatic state-funded security because he is no longer a working member of the royal family. Instead, security arrangements are considered on a case-by-case basis, similar to those for other public figures. Harry, however, argues that his family continues to face security risks because of their royal status and says his children should not travel to Britain without adequate protection. The decision lies with the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), the government body responsible for deciding who receives state-funded security. The issue comes at a sensitive time for the royal family, which has faced renewed scrutiny over past links between the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Royal commentator Tina Brown wrote on X that both RAVEC and the royal family were concerned about possible public criticism if taxpayers were asked to pay for security for Harry and his family. Initial reports suggested Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, would accompany their parents to Britain. But those plans appeared uncertain after the ‘Daily Telegraph’ reported that RAVEC had again rejected Harry's request for security. The ‘Times’[ later reported that Harry was deeply upset by the decision and had told friends he would not allow his children to be pursued by paparazzi in London. By Sunday, reports indicated Meghan and the children would not accompany Harry when he arrives in London on Monday, although they could still join him later during the visit. Despite the ongoing disagreements, Harry has repeatedly said he hopes to repair his relationship with his 77-year-old father, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. He also wants Archie and Lilibet, who briefly met King Charles during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, to spend more time with their grandfather now that they are old enough to remember the experience. Relations between Harry and the royal family have remained strained since he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties and settled in California, where they pursued commercial media projects. The relationship deteriorated further after Harry published his memoir ‘Spare’, which included critical accounts of the royal family and allegations about the monarchy's relationship with the British media. In the book, Harry accused some members of the royal family of leaking information about relatives to gain favourable media coverage. He was particularly critical of Queen Camilla, alleging that she shared private conversations with the press to improve her public image after her long relationship with Charles before he became king. After losing a legal challenge over his security arrangements last year, Harry said he still hoped to reconcile with his family, while suggesting that he had been denied police protection because he chose to step away from royal duties. "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore," Harry told the BBC. "I don't know how much longer my father has."