Questions remain over who will pay for the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ security when they return to the UK, as Harry will learn how much he will have to pay in legal costs in his High Court case against the Daily Mail’s publisher.
Harry and Meghan are to live in a non-royal residence outside of London, having already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools, it was revealed on Wednesday.
Decisions about whether taxpayers will foot the bill for their security remain unanswered, as does the exact reason for their decision to relocate, with the Sussexes yet to comment publicly.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham would not be drawn on Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements in the UK, saying the funding for it was a “private matter”.
Harry has faced a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over the security arrangements for him and his family while in the UK, after his level of protection changed when he stepped down as a working royal in 2020.
At the end of June, he was still waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board, part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requirements – and he and his security detail were working to try to ensure his July visit could take place safely.
Individual decisions on protective security for key public figures, including members of the royal family, are made by Ravec, which includes the Home Office, Metropolitan Police and Royal Household, which advises an independent chairperson.
As the fallout of their announcement continued, Harry and six other household names were set to find out how many millions of pounds they will have to pay to the Daily Mail’s publisher in legal costs.
The high-profile figures, including Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Elton John, sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over allegations of unlawful information-gathering, but Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed all the cases in a judgment last month.
Mr Justice Nicklin is to give his decision on the size of an initial payment the group will make to ANL, with the court previously being told the total costs were more than £34 million.
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Harry and Meghan’s decision to relocate to the UK was only relayed to the King three days before the bombshell news went public on Wednesday night.
