Neil Basu, a former assistant commissioner at the Metropolitan Police who led the units that protected Prince Harry and the Royal Family, has described the Duke of Sussex as a "fundamentally really decent man" who is trying to do right by his wife and two children.
Mr Basu, a 30-year police veteran, served as Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations in the Metropolitan Police and led counter-terrorism policing for the National Police Chiefs' Council. His role included safeguarding the Royal Family.
'Brilliant with my people'
Speaking on The Crime Agents podcast, Mr Basu said: "It was my units who protected him, and the rest of the royal family, and the VIPs." He also revealed that his units investigated threats against Harry and Meghan Markle.
"It was my units that investigated the allegations of threats to kill against him and Meghan from the extreme right-wing, Islamist extremist threats against him, as well as extreme right-wing threats against him for marrying a mixed race woman and being declared a race traitor," he said.
Mr Basu added: "Whether you like him or you don't... he's a fundamentally really decent man who is trying to do the right thing by his wife and two children."
Return to the UK
Mr Basu noted that many people judge Harry without having met him. "I know him well. I know him from once helping me open a conference on post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health in policing. He was brilliant with my people that day," he said.
Harry and Meghan returned to the UK on Wednesday without police protection officers, travelling to a new home that is not thought to be an official royal residence. They were safeguarded by their own private security team and greeted by a van and two tinted cars after an overnight flight from California.
'Not protection, it's a fudge'
The couple were given the contact details of a police liaison officer. Scott Hamer, a former Metropolitan Police protection officer who once guarded King Charles when he was Prince of Wales, told ITV News he found the decision "incredible", saying a phone number is "not protection, it's a fudge".
"I have been involved in protection for 25 years; I find it absolutely incredible," Mr Hamer commented.
No public appearances are expected from the Sussexes before Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, begin school at the start of September. This is only the third time Princess Lilibet has visited Britain; Prince Archie was born in the UK but moved to Canada and then the US before his first birthday. The couple are also bringing their dogs Mia and Pula to their new home.
The length of the Sussexes' stay remains unclear. A source told The Telegraph: "How long will they stay? I don't know, but it will be for an extended period. Whether that's six months, a year, two years... who knows."
