Prince William and Kate Middleton’s latest high-profile hire linked to fear over Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s UK return

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s decision to hire a crisis management expert was reportedly done to get ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s potential return to the UK.

The Prince and Princess of Wales recently hired Liza Ravenscroft, who has a background in crisis management, the Mail on Sunday reported last week.

Although the royal couple hardly has bad press, Ravenscroft’s hiring has to do with Harry and Markle, a Daily Mail report published Thursday claims.

“William and Catherine know that there may be trouble ahead, and it’s likely to come from a familiar source – Prince Harry and Meghan,” the outlet reported.

“The Establishment ‘plot’ to bring the Duke and Duchess of Sussex back to Britain is gathering pace, with a decision expected within the next couple of weeks on the reinstatement of the couple’s automatic armed police protection – paid for by British taxpayers – when they make return visits to this country,” the report continued.

The outlet claimed recent stories of Markle potentially returning to the UK this summer and Harry reportedly inviting his father, King Charles, to the 2026 Invictus Games, was a way to put pressure on the royal family to welcome the Duke and Duchess of Sussex back.

“The plot is known as ‘Project Thaw’ because the aim is to ‘warm up’ the duke’s and duchess’s frosty relationships with the rest of the Royal Family and with the British people,” the outlet claimed.

“Harry and Meghan returning to set up their ‘rival’ royal court at the same time as trying to make a fortune for themselves has the makings of a future crisis for the monarchy,” the outlet continued.

Reps for the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Harry could soon reunite with the royal family after he scored a victory in his long-running battle for security when visiting the UK.

Ravec, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, launched a new risk assessment at Harry’s request and determined that he met the threshold for official protection.

Meanwhile, royal author Christopher Andersen recently told Us Weekly that Harry is “somewhat uneasy” with living under the spotlight, while his wife “embraces that life more.”

“He has suffered from crippling social anxiety,” Andersen alleged.

“Does it pain Harry to be pointedly excluded from times when the royal family gets together, like Christmas at Sandringham? Of course it does,” he also quipped.

William and Harry notably did not reunite when Harry returned to Britain in September 2025 as their relationship continues to be strained.