Prince Harry's spokesperson has confirmed he won't be returning to the UK for a special service honoring his grandfather later this month.
On March 29, there will be a Service of Thanksgiving honoring Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey. The service is an opportunity for representatives of the many charities and organizations that Philip worked with throughout his decades of service to come together and pay tribute to him. The Duke of Edinburgh's funeral in April 2021 was limited to 30 people due to pandemic restrictions at the time.
Harry has not been to the UK since July 2021, when he and Prince William unveiled a statue in honor of their mother, Princess Diana, on the grounds of Kensington Palace.
Prince Harry has confirmed he will not return for the March 29 service, though he did emphasize plans to come the UK to visit his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, as soon as possible. Interestingly enough, there's been speculation that the Queen may not be well enough to attend the service herself.
The Mail on Sunday reports that the Queen's mobility problems are worsening. She hasn't been able to walk her beloved corgis in months, and there are concerns she'll have trouble getting to the service. That said, the Queen has ruled out using a wheelchair to get around, leaving future appearances in question as well.
Harry's visits to the UK have been complicated by a security matter over which he's taken legal action. Harry and Meghan both lost public-funded protection in the UK in March 2020. Since then, they have privately paid for their own security in the US, where they now reside. They have been told that they are not allowed to pay for UK police protection out of their own pockets.
As a result, a trip to the UK for Harry, Meghan, and their two children would be one without police protection and the deep level of security intelligence that comes with it. Harry "does not feel safe" bringing his children there as a result.
"This claim is about the fact that the claimant does not feel safe when he is in the U.K. given the security arrangements that were applied to him in June 2021 and will continue to be applied to him if he decides to come back," Harry's lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, QC, said at the Royal Courts of Justice, per The Guardian.
"And, of course, it should go without saying that he wants to come back: to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart," she continued. "Most of all, this is, and always will be, his home."
Prince Harry is determined to return with or without security to see his grandmother. However, his and his family's participation in upcoming celebrations around the Queen's Platinum Jubilee seem unlikely in the face of all this uncertainty.
