Sussexes may miss Queen amid dispute over security
THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to miss seeing the Queen during their forthcoming visit to the UK unless a security dispute can be resolved at the last minute.
The Sussexes, who will be in the UK for the week beginning Sept 5 as well as making a short trip to Germany, are not expected to travel to see the Queen at Balmoral.
The Daily Telegraph understands the couple have not yet been made aware of decisions about their security while they are in Britain, as a Home Office panel rules on whether they should qualify for Met protection.
The Duke and Duchess have confirmed they will attend two events in the UK; a youth summit in Manchester and the Wellchild Awards, held in London, for seriously ill children and their families, for which Prince Harry has served as long-term patron.
In between, they will also fly to Dusseldorf for a launch event for next year’s Invictus Games.
That leaves the Wednesday and Thursday of that week free. The couple had been expected to use the opportunity to visit the Duke’s grandmother.
While it is possible that other engagements could be confirmed, a visit to the Queen is not currently anticipated, according to sources.
The Queen had been planning to return to Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle to appoint a new Prime Minister on Sept 6, following the Conservative leadership election, making it a short trip from the Sussexes’ home at Frogmore Cottage.
It was reported yesterday that she is now “carefully considering” whether she feels able to attend the Braemar Games, nine miles from her Scottish home, at which she is regularly photographed enjoying the Highland sports.
She is now likely to stay at Balmoral to receive her outgoing and incoming Prime Ministers in greater comfort, with sources indicating the Sussexes would be unable to see her unless security issues can be resolved.
While they would fall under the protection already in place at the royal estates in Windsor and Balmoral, Met policing for their external activities including travel are determined on a case-by-case basis.
During their most recent visit, for the Platinum Jubilee, they attended only official engagements where they had security in place along with other members of the Royal family, before returning to Frogmore Cottage. They visited the Queen at Windsor Castle privately.
The Queen has recently been enduring some health problems particularly
relating to her mobility, and has been resting during her annual summer break to Balmoral.
The Prince of Wales is reported to have been visiting her each day, with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three young children spending time with her in Scotland along with frequent company from the wider Royal family.
The Sussexes’ decisions about travel in the UK are contingent on the level of security, the Telegraph understands.
While they are able to use a private protection team, the Duke has argued those officers would not have access to enough UK information to keep his family safe.
Prince Harry has previously argued he, his wife and their two children should be afforded permanent protective security when they are in the UK, regardless of their new status as nonworking royals.
The decision was made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) in February 2020, when it was ruled that the Sussexes’ choice to live in the US as private citizens did not “fit readily” into any category of its framework.
Acknowledging the Duke’s “particular and unusual position” as an heir to the throne and his service in Afghanistan, the panel agreed he may need protection in certain circumstances.
It was to be considered on a case by case basis, taking into account whether he was on quasi-official duties or on strictly private outings.
The Duke has offered to pay for the Met services, but Robert Palmer QC, representing the Home Office, told the court that “personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis”.
The Duke challenged the decision through lawyers, and has brought Judicial Review proceedings against the Home Office. Last month, he won the right to challenge the process in court.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not known to have previously visited Balmoral despite being invited, although they stayed with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall at the Castle of Mey in 2018.
They have previously attended the Wellchild Awards together, but Prince Harry went by himself last year for a socially-distanced ceremony.
A source said the Sussexes had chosen to confirm their commitments with the organisations, hoping to give each a post-pandemic publicity boost.
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not comment.