Security arrangements for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their return to the UK are a “private matter”, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said.
He added: “It’s a matter for Harry and for Meghan, and we wish them well in the move that they are making.”
It comes after it emerged that the couple intend to relocate with their children from the US to the UK later this month to a private, non-royal residence outside London.
The Home Office said decisions on the security of royals were taken by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), an independent body overseen by the Home Office.
The prime minister does not decide about security for the Royal Family.
Security for the couple has long been a point of tension, with Prince Harry losing a legal challenge last year over how much he and his family were entitled to when visiting the UK.
Now that they are moving back to the UK, Ravec will have to make a new decision on their security as previous arrangements were based on them not living here permanently.
The Home Office has said the UK’s protective security system was rigorous and proportionate, but “it is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
The Sussexes left the UK and stepped back from their royal duties in early 2020, before they settled in California.
There is no suggestion that the couple are going to become full-time working royals again, so they may not qualify for the levels of security Prince Harry had before he and his wife left the UK six years ago.
Credit: bbc.com
