Andy Burnham would not be drawn on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security arrangements on their return to the UK, saying the funding for it was a “private matter”.
Harry and Meghan’s planned return to Britain came as a surprise to many on Wednesday night and the King found out about the move just three days before it was made public.
Asked by reporters on a visit to West Yorkshire whether the Government would establish and fund the duke and duchess’s security, the Prime Minister said: “Well, this is a private matter.
“It’s a matter for Harry and for Meghan, and we wish them well in the moves that they’re making.”
The couple moved to the US more than six years ago but will move back to the UK later this month, making their home in a non-royal residence outside of London.
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 rules on his security requirements – and he and his security detail were working to try to ensure their July visit could take place safely.
