Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet's UK return hangs in the balance - analysis by Svar Nanan-Sen

Prince Harry has vowed to appeal the decision but the defeat will make it less likely that the Duke of Sussex's wife and children will accompany him on trips to the UK.

The King's youngest son said during a TV interview with Good Morning America at the start of February that he had many visits planned to the UK for 2024.

The duke already flew to London last month to see King Charles after it was confirmed that the monarch has a form of cancer.

Harry did not bring Meghan Markle or their young children with him on his most recent visit.

This continued a trend established in 2023 of the Duke of Sussex making solo trips back to the country of his birth.

The most high-profile of Harry's solo trips came in May 2023 when he attended King Charles's Coronation.

Meghan Markle was invited to the event but chose not to attend amid reports the Duchess of Sussex feared being booed by crowds in the UK.

The duchess has not visited the UK since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022.

Meghan chose not to accompany Prince Harry to the WellChild awards ceremony in London last September, despite joining him in Europe just days later for the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany.

She also remained in the US instead of supporting Prince Harry in court as he testified against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in a civil case in London last year.

Documents from his High Court battle with the Home Office revealed that Prince Harry believed he and his family face a greater security risk than his mother Princess Diana due to "racism and extremism".

The late Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car crash in 1997 as her driver was fleeing paparazzi.

The court documents also revealed that Meghan and Harry were recklessly endangered during a 2023 car chase they dubbed as "near catastrophic", according to a senior New York Police Department (NYPD) officer.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a statement in May 2023 blasting the behaviour of "aggressive paparazzi" following their appearance at the 50th anniversary of the Ms Foundation for Women's award ceremony.

In the judgement of Prince Harry's security court case against the Home Office, it emerged that the NYPD found that the chase was "persistently dangerous".

Despite this, Prince Harry still suffered defeat against the Home Office and will not be granted the same level of security he had as a working member of the Royal Family.

A victory for the Duke of Sussex in his appeal could result in him feeling more comfortable bringing his wife and children with him to the UK, however, with his current level of police protection remaining the same until then, any possible return for Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet hangs in the balance.