Meghan Markle Told to 'Eat Humble Pie' as Expert Claims She Has 'No Excuse' to Avoid UK Return

Meghan Markle has spent years keeping her distance from Britain, but a behind-the-scenes security review could soon force an uncomfortable reckoning. If Prince Harry secures the full protection he has been fighting for, one royal expert believes the Duchess of Sussex will be left with 'no excuse' not to return to the UK — and may have to 'eat humble pie' in front of both the royal family and a divided British public.

UK Return Forces Humble Pie After Security Review Shake-up

The latest twist centres on a fresh risk assessment by the Home Office's Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which is reviewing the downgraded level of security Harry and his family receive when they visit the UK. Reports suggest the Sussex camp is quietly optimistic that this reassessment will fall in Harry's favour, reversing the arrangements put in place after the couple stepped back from royal duties and left Britain in 2020.

Meghan has not returned to the UK alongside her husband since 2022, when the pair flew in for the late Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. Since then, her absence has become almost as much a talking point as anything she has said on camera or in print.

Public opinion of the duchess in Britain has slumped since the couple's dramatic departure and subsequent criticisms of the monarchy. It has been widely reported that she has little appetite to set foot again in Harry's homeland, with no plans or desire for a meaningful UK comeback.

Royal author Duncan Larcombe, however, believes that calculation may soon become impossible to maintain. He argues that if Harry's appeal over security succeeds, Meghan will be under intense pressure to rethink her stance.

'The security issue has essentially been used as an excuse for Meghan not to come to the UK in the last few years. But many people think the real reason is the public reaction she'd receive here,' he told the Mirror.

He added: 'If protection is put back in place for Harry and Meghan when they're on UK soil, then there's really no excuse for her to stay away, so she has to be considering doing a U-turn. She has no choice but to think about it given the new review'.

'But effectively, she'll come face to face with the British public and members of the family she's been at pains to criticise. She will want to support Harry how she can, and has also said that she doesn't like to be away from her children for long, so there are going to be some difficult decisions either way'.

"I don't think it's in Meghan's character to eat humble pie, and if she comes to the UK, humble pie is exactly what's on the menu for her."

Security Battle Raises Stakes for Royal Comeback

The timing of the Ravec review could hardly be more sensitive. Last May, the Duke of Sussex lost his legal bid to secure the same level of taxpayer-funded police protection he previously enjoyed as a working royal, describing the defeat as a 'good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up'.

Unwilling to let the matter rest, Harry wrote privately in October to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, urging her to 'rethink the approach to his security', according to the Telegraph. His concerns focus on the threat level he faces when in the UK and the implications for Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Last month, Harry was informed that Ravec wanted to reassess his threat level for the first time in six years. Its risk management board is now preparing a fresh evaluation, which will be presented to the committee before a final decision is made.

The Home Office has declined to comment directly on Harry's case. A spokesman told the newspaper: 'The UK Government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security'.

For Meghan Markle's security battle outcome, the stakes could hardly be higher. A positive ruling for Harry would remove the most practical argument she has used for staying away. What remains is the emotional and reputational reality: facing crowds who have made up their minds about her, and walking into rooms with family members she has publicly criticised.

Yet there is also a personal dimension. By all accounts, she is determined to support Harry and reluctant to be separated from their children for long stretches. If his work and legal commitments increasingly pull him back to Britain — and he is already expected to travel to the UK again this month for the start of the trial against Associated Newspapers — the pressure on Meghan to join him will only intensify.

Whether she ultimately chooses to step back into the UK spotlight or continue to watch from afar, the next Ravec decision could force a moment of truth — not just for Harry's security, but for Meghan Markle's relationship with the country she left behind.