Prince Harry is "extremely disappointed" and desperate to spend more time in the UK with his young family - but a major question mark hangs over his feelings about bringing them to Britain.
The frustrated Duke of Sussex was set to visit his former homeland in May to mark a decade of the Invictus Games, an international sporting event he founded for wounded, injured, or sick armed services personnel and veterans. But he now left mulling over cancelling the planned return, leaving royal fans devastated.
And the 39-year-old is doing so because of one key concern upon which the devoted dad refuses to budge - the safety of his wife and children and what he percieves as the lack of it in the UK, since a major decision made by the UK Home Office.
Harry was scheduled to deliver a speech at St Paul's Cathedral during his UK trip. However, following his defeat in a High Court case against the UK Home Office over the security arrangements for him and his family while in Britain, the Duke is believed to be worried about their safety.
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There's speculation that he might opt to give his address through a pre-recorded video or live stream from his residence in Montecito, California, where he resides with his wife Meghan Markle and their children, four year old Prince Archie and two year old Princess Lilibet.
After the High Court ruling, Harry has been hit with a hefty legal bill of £1 million and is understood to be appealing the verdict, feeling deeply let down by the security measures in place for his potential visit to the UK, reports OK!.
A source revealed to The Express: "Whenever Harry travels to the UK, his trips are always dependent on how secure he is. Before deciding whether to attend the Invictus Games anniversary event, his security team must be sure that St. Paul's is adequately protected by the metropolitan police and his own security needs are met while he's in London."
The insider added: "Harry wants to spend more time in the UK with his family, but there's no way he can do that while a question mark hangs over his security detail."
Furthermore, the source claimed that Harry has been left "extremely disappointed" with the situation regarding his security, hinting that this might lead him to remain in California and participate in the Invictus Games through virtual means.
In a setback for Prince Harry, he faced defeat in his legal fight concerning police protection within the UK, as his attempt to overturn a High Court ruling was turned down in April.
The Duke of Sussex had challenged a decision made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) in February 2020, which stripped him of his publicly-funded security whenever he visits the country. This move by RAVEC was influenced by the change in Harry's official "status" following his step back from being an active member of the Royal Family, as per information disclosed in court.
Retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled in February that Harry's claim that he had been "singled out" and treated "less favourably" by the decision was not irrational or procedurally unfair.