Susanna Reid returned to Good Morning Britain on Monday (July 6) after several weeks away and immediately found herself in a heated debate about Prince Harry's upcoming UK visit. The Duke of Sussex is traveling to Britain this week without his wife Meghan Markle or their two children, following a ruling that the family would not receive taxpayer-funded police protection.
Reid Fumes Over Security Decision
Reid expressed outrage at the decision, stating: 'I think it's shocking. I don't understand why he is not given protection in England.' Her co-star Kevin Maguire, the Mirror's political editor, disagreed strongly. 'They make a security assessment and the assessment is clearly that no one is going to try and shoot him or his family,' he said.
Reid countered: 'Do we know that?' Maguire responded: 'Well, yes because otherwise he'd have protection. He's living in a country where people are killed in their thousands with guns. He's coming to a country where that doesn't happen.'
Reid Fires Back: 'He's the Son of the King'
Reid retorted: 'He's in a country where he knows that he has been sent threats and particularly Meghan. Why would we take the risk? He's the son of the King.' Former Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng then remarked: 'He's trying to have his cake and eat it. He left the Royal Family, he decided to walk away from that.' Reid interrupted: 'Doesn't mean he's not under threat, Kwasi... We're talking about protecting a life.'
Co-host Ed Balls noted that Prince Harry is accustomed to armed protection in the US but would need Metropolitan Police protection in the UK, which requires a security assessment. Maguire added: '40% of the population in the UK doesn't own a gun. In America, I think it's two fifths [that] own guns, including just about every bad person; they own multiple guns.'
Maguire: 'He's Horribly Paranoid'
Maguire argued that Harry was not at greater risk than the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who lacks armed protection. Reid disagreed, saying: 'I don't understand why anyone would take the risk. Imagine if the worst happened.' Maguire retorted: 'You can imagine the worst happening to 65, 66 million people in Britain who are more vulnerable and don't have any of his protection. I mean, come on. He's either become incredibly precious or he's horribly paranoid. That is it. I'm sorry he's not bringing his family, but it's up to them. I'm not going to lose any sleep over them not all coming.'
He added: 'I don't see why we should have to, just because he feels at risk, [give him] all this protection.' Reid then quickly shifted the conversation.
