Former Met Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu, who spent three decades in policing and oversaw royal protection, has described Prince Harry as a "decent" man. Basu, who served as assistant commissioner for Specialist Operations at the Metropolitan Police and as the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for counter-terrorism policing, says his units protected the Duke of Sussex and the rest of the Royal Family.
Working closely with the Duke
Speaking on The Crime Agents podcast, Basu said: "It was my units who protected him, and the rest of the royal family, and the VIPs." He added: "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."
Basu observed that it stands to reason Harry would want the strongest possible protection for his wife and children: "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."
'Brilliant' at mental health event
Basu pointed out that many people claim to understand Harry without ever 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."
Return to the UK without police protection
Despite Basu's reservations, Harry and Meghan Markle arrived back in Britain on Wednesday without police protection officers accompanying them. They made their way to their new home, which is not thought to be an official royal residence. Instead, they were safeguarded by their own private security team, who met them with a van and two blacked-out vehicles following their overnight flight from California.
A former Metropolitan Police protection officer told ITV News that he considered the decision not to provide full police protection to the duke and duchess "incredible". Scott Hamer, who previously guarded King Charles during his time as Prince of Wales, described a phone number provided to the couple as "not protection, it's a fudge". "I have been involved in protection for 25 years; I find it absolutely incredible," Mr Hamer said.
The Sussexes are not presently expected to make any public appearances before Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, begin school at the start of September. This marks only the third known visit to Britain for Princess Lilibet. Prince Archie, while born in the UK, relocated to Canada and subsequently the United States with his parents before reaching his first birthday. Harry and Meghan are also understood to be bringing their dogs, Mia and Pula, to their new home.
The precise duration of the Sussexes' time in the country remains uncertain. 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."
