Is Harry trying to manipulate his way to taxpayer-funded protection?

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE: 'BETRAYAL!' Prince William 'wants NOTHING to do with' Harry & Meghan visitREAD MORE: Prince Harry has a mountain to climb to fix PR own goal as security row overshadows UK tripSee more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy JOSEPH LUKE PALMER Published: 13:50 BST, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 14:21 BST, 29 June 2026

On the latest episode of the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential, royal expert Richard Eden accuses the Sussexes of trying to 'manipulate' their way to taxpayer-funded police protection.The Diary Editor claimed Harry and Meghan have not accepted the Palace's offer of a royal residence for their upcoming stay in Britain on grounds that were the Sussexes to make use of one, they would require round-the-clock security.Eden sees this as a negotiating tactic by Harry, trying to establish a precedent that the Sussexes are given police protection when they stay with the wider Royal Family.Over the weekend it emerged that the Prince is said to be reconsidering bringing his wife and children to Britain over the Home Office's refusal to grant the family taxpayer-funded security.

With this July trip, Eden suggested the Sussexes are cynically 'using their children' to reopen questions over their security in BritainThe trip, due to begin in just over a week, was touted by those close to the Sussexes as an opportunity to introduce Lilibet and Archie 'to their wider family.''Frankly, this all seems like a bit of a trap', Eden told co-host Richard Kay.'Harry and Meghan said they will stay at a royal residence only if each time they leave with their children, they are guaranteed security.'They are putting the King and government in a position where in the future they can say, this is what we expect every time and indeed, if we have it in Britain, we should get it in America as well.'There's a lot of manipulation going on and it's all quite unedifying.'When Harry last visited the UK in September 2025, he was granted police protection while carrying out an engagement at the WellChild Awards in central London.In May 2025, the Prince had lost a case at the Court of Appeal over gaining the same automatic right to taxpayer-funded security as working royals.With this July trip, Eden suggested the Sussexes are cynically 'using their children' to reopen questions over their security in Britain.He said: 'This trip is a big deal. It would be the first time they have been here together since the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.'It would only be the second time that Lilibet would have met her grandfather, the King. The trip, due to begin in just over a week, was touted by those close to the Sussexes as an opportunity to introduce Lilibet and Archie 'to their wider family''It does seem that they are using the children to put pressure on the King and for me, that's really unedifying, I don't like it at all.'Harry was due to visit the UK this month to mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games, hosted in Birmingham.The Daily Mail's Royal Editor Rebecca English, who regularly co-hosts Palace Confidential, reported separately that as of Monday June 29, the details of Harry's UK trip are up in the air.The Prince is said to still be keen to make the trip work, but it remains to be seen whether Meghan and his children will be joining him.Watch the full episode on Harry's upcoming UK visit by searching for Palace Confidential on YouTube.