Prince Harry, pictured in London in September, is likely to be granted police protection in the UK(Image: PA)
The Duke of Sussex’s win in his fight secure automatic armed police protection “would change everything,” a royal source stressed today.
A ruling, reportedly thought to be in Prince Harry’s favour, is set to be announced in the coming weeks after a lengthy battle to have his taxpayer-funded security while in the UK restored. Harry himself is thought to be confident on the triumph, which it is believed would lessen his concerns about bring his children to visit the UK occasionally.
And this could potentially allow King Charles to see little Archie and Lilibet for the first time since June 2022, when the latter had just turned one. However, experts argue the ruling would also cause huge controversy, such as allowing Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, to become “half in, half out” royals. A friend of the royals said: “A win for Harry and Meghan would change everything.”
Richard Eden, a veteran royal reporter with 20 years’ experience in that field, wrote: “They (Harry and Meghan) would have the major perk of automatic taxpayer-funded protection but none of the obligations of public service.”
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the US after stepping back from official royal duties(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Harry, 41, has cited his security worries as a major barrier to visiting the UK, and why he is reluctant to bring his children, and an upgrading of his security could make that less of an issue. This argument has reportedly been considered by the the Government’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee, which will confirm its decision in the coming weeks.
But the armed police protection would be paid for by British taxpayers, something only “working royals” — such as the King’s siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward — are entitled only when carrying out public engagements. Harry and Meghan, though, carry out no public duties, yet would have round-the-clock protection when in the UK.
Mr Eden wrote in his scathing piece for the Daily Mail: “Forcing hard-pressed British taxpayers to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds paying for security for the Sussexes would cause outrage. This is a couple so rich that Harry was able to make a personal donation of £1.1million to Children in Need on his last visit to Britain in September.
“Not only would taxpayers be alarmed by a ruling in Harry’s favour, but it would open a can of worms for the Royal Family… It’s not too late to think twice before the flagging Sussexes are given an unwelcome boost by the British Establishment.”
On his previous trip to the UK last September, Prince Harry had a private meeting with his father in London that was seen as a symbolic step towards improving family relationships.