Prince Harry has lost his final legal appeal against the UK Government's decision to reduce his official security detail during visits to Britain. The Duke of Sussex has cited concerns for the safety of himself and his family and had been fighting to restore the full police protection he once received as a senior working royal.
When he left his royal duties and headed to the USA in 2020, Harry's taxpayer-funded security was downgraded, with any protection now handled on an individual case basis. In his memoir, Spare, the prince reveals one reason he thought his security would never be downgraded.
Harry's Reassurance to Meghan
Prince Harry disclosed that one of the main reasons he had reassured Meghan Markle that their security would not be removed was the case of his scandal-ridden uncle, Andrew. In his memoir, the Duke of Sussex claimed that he and Meghan faced the same high “threat level” as the late Queen, reports The Mirror.
Harry writes: “We were taking first steps, trying to be positive. Doesn’t really matter where we live, we said, so long as the Palace fulfils its obligation—and what I felt was its implicit promise—to keep us safe.”
Harry says: “Meg asked me one night: You don’t think they’d ever pull our security, do you? Never. Not in this climate of hate. And not after what happened to my mother.”
Comparison to Uncle Andrew
He adds: “Also, not in the wake of my Uncle Andrew. He was embroiled in a shameful scandal, accused of the sexual assault of a young woman, and no one had so much as suggested that he lose his security. Whatever grievances people had against us, sex crimes weren’t on the list.”
Prince Harry's memoir was published in 2023. According to Hello!, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor now relies on private security. Harry has now lost his final appeal, meaning his security downgrade stands.
