Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will get armed protection from Dutch police during their visit to the Netherlands, it has been reported.
It has been confirmed that the couple will both be travelling to The Hague later this week for the Invictus Games in what will be the pair's first trip outside of the US since they quit as senior royals.
However, their decision to attend the event has been blasted by palace insiders after Harry claimed it was “too dangerous” to travel to the UK.
They did not attend last month's memorial service for the late Prince Philip and Harry is currently locked in a legal battle with the UK government over a decision to downgrade his security.
However, The Express reports that the Games are regarded as a high-profile event warranting protection by the Dutch national police’s DKDB Royal and Diplomatic Security Service and another other state security service, according to sources and media reports in the Netherlands.
Meanwhile, the newspaper also reports that during their time in the Netherlands, Harry and Meghan, who quit as working royals in 2020, will not stay with the Dutch Royal Family on the trip or receive an audience with King Willem-Alexander or Queen Maxima while they are in The Hague.
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However, the King is expected to attend the closing ceremony and his aunt, Princess Margriet, is honorary chairwoman of the games and is due to be at the opening ceremony.
Since moving to California, Harry has only returned to the UK twice - for the funeral of Prince Philip and to unveil a statue of his late mother Princess Diana.
Meghan has not returned and neither has their son Archie. Daughter Lilibet was born in America and had not yet been to Britain.
Their trip to the Netherlands will see them just over an hour's flight from London and the Games also overlaps with the Queen's 96th birthday next week.
And according to royal expert and author Robert Jobson, Harry's absence from the UK but willingness to travel to The Hague has "nothing to do with safety, but him feeling wanted" - and he says the prince's upcoming tell-all memoir is playing a large part in this.
He told the Mirror: "In the Hague he will be feted. His brothers and sisters in arms, past and present, rightly praise the Afghanistan veteran for giving back to the armed forces and not forgetting them.
"Back in the UK, particularly with his own family, his pending book means he is not cut the same slack.
"His tome is likely to tackle his tricky relationship with the Duchess of Cornwall, who was confirmed as the future Queen Consort in February by our Queen and is probably the real reason he is staying away.
"Can you imagine how excruciating it would be over dinner if somebody was to ask what’s in the soon to be published Random House book about them?"
