Over the weekend, the Telegraph had a curious and awful story about Prince Harry’s UK security fight. I won’t recap the whole thing, but suffice to say, even with a security risk assessment saying that the Sussex family should receive police protection within the UK, the Windsors are still trying to find a way to deny that security. The Telegraph played fast and loose with what was really happening within RAVEC, the committee which determines who gets police protection, but it absolutely sounds like King Charles and Prince William’s senior courtiers are pushing for no police protection for the Sussexes. Well, one of Prince Harry’s friends spoke about this issue to Richard Eden at the Daily Mail recently:
As Prince Harry plans to bring his wife Meghan back to Britain this summer for the first time in four years, one of his best friends has piled more pressure on the Government to restore the couple’s security. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were stripped of automatic taxpayer-funded police protection on their visits to Britain after they chose to quit royal duties and move to America in 2020. Last year, King Charles’ younger son lost a legal battle with the Home Office to have it reinstated.
However, his request to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, for a full risk assessment to be carried out was granted last December and the committee which makes the final decision on the level of police protection was expected to meet in January to discuss the reinstatement.
Alex Rayner, who went to the North Pole with Harry on a charity trek in 2012 and is in regular contact with him, suggests the two tours of duty that the duke served in Afghanistan during his ten-year Army career make him particularly vulnerable.
In an apparent reference to the King’s protection of his brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on his private Sandringham estate in Norfolk, Rayner tells me: ‘Harry is a royal who’s significantly served in the Armed Forces. To ask him to pay for it privately feels a tiny bit spiteful, given that there are other members of the Royal Family who receive it who do far less.’
Harry served in war-torn Afghanistan as a forward air controller and later as an Apache helicopter pilot. Next year, the Invictus Games, which he created to help injured and sick former soldiers, will be held here and Harry hopes Meghan will accompany him to an event this July to promote it.
‘This guy was flying Apaches in a conflict and we’ve got the Invictus Games coming up in Birmingham,’ says Rayner, who was educated at Harry’s alma mater Eton College. ‘Are we not supporting him for that?’
Spiteful? Yes. Petty and childish? Absolutely. Dangerous and potentially criminal? 100%. Harry’s legal fight and subsequent “establishment stitch-up” interview did one good thing though – his awful family won’t be able to get away with refusing his security without backlash. People will call them out, maybe even some royal reporters and definitely some security experts. The calculations at play for Charles and William are ridiculous too – William believes that if Harry goes without police protection, then it will be like waving a magic wand. making Harry look un-royaled. William and Charles both think that if they ignore Harry and the Birmingham Invictus Games, then everyone else will too. Their jealousy of Harry and their small-minded decisions will blow up in their faces spectacularly.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Cover Images.
-
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, on day two of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. The National Service marks The Queen’s 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth. Public service is at the heart of the event and over 400 recipients of Honours in the New Year or Birthday Honours lists have been invited in recognition of their contribution to public life. Drawn from all four nations of the United Kingdom, they include NHS and key workers, teaching staff, public servants, and representatives from the Armed Forces, charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups.,Image: 696633859, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty O’Connor / Avalon
-
- Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 03, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.,Image: 696678032, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: ARTHUR EDWARDS / Avalon
-
- Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive for the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral on June 03, 2022 in London, England. The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5, 2022, in the UK and Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952.,Image: 696678053, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: ARTHUR EDWARDS / Avalon
-
- NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE – London, UK -20220603- Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen, marking the monarch’s 70 year Platinum Jubilee, at St Paul`s Cathedral -PICTURED: Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51631272.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle Duchess of Sussex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 03 Jun 2022 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
-
- NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE – London, UK -20220603- Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen, marking the monarch’s 70 year Platinum Jubilee, at St Paul`s Cathedral -PICTURED: Prince Harry Duke of Sussex -PHOTO by: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com -51631543.jpg This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Instar Images LLC for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Instar Images LLC reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded Featuring: Prince Harry Duke of Sussex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 03 Jun 2022 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images/INSTARimages.com **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
-
- North America Rights Only, London, England – 20220603- National Service of Thanksgiving On Day Two Of The Platinum Jubilee Celebrations -PICTURED: Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex -PHOTO by: PA Images/INSTARimages.com -67257971 Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing Featuring: Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex Where: London, England, United Kingdom When: 03 Jun 2022 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com **North America Rights Only**
-
- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex departs a visit to The Community Recording Studio in Nottingham, United Kingdom Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: Nottingham, United Kingdom When: 09 Sep 2025 Credit: Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR HELLO MAGAZINE**
-
- The Duke of Sussex looks at the Sim Vitro Robot during a visit to Imperial College London’s Centre for Blast Injury Studies, at Sir Michael Uren Hub in White City, west London Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 10 Sep 2025 Credit: Suzanne Plunkett/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Duke of Sussex leaves after a visit to Imperial College London’s Centre for Blast Injury Studies, at Sir Michael Uren Hub in White City, west London Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 10 Sep 2025 Credit: Suzanne Plunkett/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
A”tiny bit spiteful “ is an understatement!! My opinion is they want Harry gone like his mother is gone! This just shows how jealousy of a charismatic brother leads to completely evil intentions!!!
They’re so stupid. Don’t they realize that the monarchy will be gone, too, this time? Or are they really willing to burn it all down, just to get to Harry?
Not to be morbid, but I hope Charles doesn’t make it until IG games in the UK. I’m not sure Harry is truly prepared to be snubbed by his father in his biggest moment in his home country. I also want Will to carry the entire weight and all of the criticism that he deserves for dishonoring disabled veterans.
Charles is a terrible father and I truly don’t believe he would cross his heir.
Harry needs to stop caring about whether or not his father “snubs him.” It’s a reflection on Dad not Harry.
Yes it is of course small and petty, which are perfect adjectives for the behavior of number one and number two in the British royal family. I can’t imagine having all of that privilege, all of that wealth, and still being this insecure and small-minded.
I don’t even know what the point is anymore? Stopping Harry from coming to the country, because satellites and social media doesn’t exist and people can’t see what he’s doing elsewhere if they don’t see him doing it in that country?
I’m just not getting their end game. Harry has come back to the country a good 15 times at best in the last 6 years, and that has not stopped you guys from having eggs thrown at you, being booed and having tumbleweeds blow through the barricades at major Royal events. Keeping him out the country isn’t making you more popular.
So I gotta say. I assumed that part of the negotiations for Birmingham to host the IG was that, during that time period at least, Harry would be provided with security. Is that not the case? Are the really expecting Harry to host the games without security? There must be security built into the games but what about Harry traveling to and from the games? Look, if they don’t give him security and the public witnesses dangerous mobs of people surrounding him or anything like that all, it’s going to backfire big time on the king and William. It will be a huge mistake. Huge.
@Jais … William is trying to ruin or take over the Invictus Games and doesn’t care how he does it.
It wouldn’t surprise me if they promised Harry security, then pull it at the last minute, forcing Harry to choose between his safety and the games. Either way, Charles and William would be happy — having Harry at physical risk, or having Harry “abandon” the games at the last minute. I base this speculation on Charles’ and William’s truly evil nature.
My take: They’re trying to make Harry decide between the Games and the risk of leaving his kids fatherless, knowing that it’s quite possible he’ll choose his family – leaving William to swoop in and claim Invictus.
This Alex Rayner person is not Harry’s friend, nor does he speak for him. They were years apart at Eton. They did one charity event together as adults. That does not make them friends nor do I believe he is in contact with Harry. Harry’s friends would not give quotes to Richard Eden. He’s just a chancer who likes to see his name in the papers. He popped up during the Sentebale situation too. He knows nothing about Harry’s security situation and should not be used as a source.
Nah I think he’s fine here. He’s not saying anything that we haven’t said on here before countless times, and he’s putting his name to it. he’s not saying he’s speaking for Harry. We need more people to speak up for Harry and Meghan in the british press like this.
@julia “did one charity event together as adults” feels like a significant understatement when it was a trek to the north pole?! Although, looking at old BBC coverage it looks like Alex was the spokesperson for the walking with the wounded expedition and Harry participated in the trek for 4 days not the whole expedition. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-13108135
I think Alex Rayner’s interview was good. I think he is sincere, and he is well-qualified to speak on the matter and spoke truth. It doesn’t strike me attention-seeking. He’s a veteran speaking up for another veteran. The trek to the North Pole was no small event. I believe Harry had to leave the trek before the end because he had to attend William’s wedding. There is a good documentary on the trek on YouTube and it is well worth watching.
I mean, he’s not wrong. It is spiteful, and petty, and dangerous. I love that he referenced Andrew.
I honestly don’t get how the Windsors don’t realize how bad this looks. this never should have been an issue. QEII made sure they had security when they returned to the UK. why is this so hard for Charles and William?
Even if they hate Harry with the fire of a thousand suns – something happening to Harry on British soil that could have been prevented with better security would be DISASTROUS for the monarchy. How does NO ONE there see that?!?!
None so blind as they who will not see.
Charles has spent a lifetime underestimating or ignoring public response to his selfish, spoiled, cruel behavior. And his heir is just like him.
Quite simply I think that they have convinced themselves that everyone shares their hatred and jealousy of Harry. And that no one would care, and that it wouldn’t reflect horrifically on them as the heads of the monarchy if something happens to Harry on British soil. It’s a huge blind spot, and no one apparently has the guts to seriously call them out on it. The Prime Minister , the Home Secretary, a top courtier the heads of MI5 or MI-6, someone need to make it abundantly clear to them what a catastrophe that would be.
@Dee(2)
I can see it from your viewpoint, and that may indeed be so.
But I think with CRex & BillyIdle it’s more like when Charles was married to Diana. It’s jealousy, plain & simple.
I think they know very well how much Harry & Meghan are loved & admired by many around the world. And they bitterly resent it.
What I think they are blind to, is how clearly their spite — and all the nasty, dangerous crap they have pulled to try to tear the Sussexes down — how clearly that is seen by more and more people both inside and outside the UK every day.
Charles & William both believe their own press. They truly think they can do no wrong and are entitled to everything, all the money, all the power, all the love. And that their gravy train will last forever.
Isn’t Charles credited with saying that if anything happened to Harry it would be nothing of import to Britain and the British public? There isn’t a word to describe this. It would be awful if Chalres were speaking about anyone, let alone his son.
@tamsin
Charles’ words have been quoted many times – he said that if Harry died, nobody would care, it wouldn’t matter at all
While it’s hard to believe a father would say something like that about his child, I’ll remind you that during one of Harry’s court hearings, DOCUMENTS were revealed confirming that Charles had asked other countries to NOT provide H&M with protection during their visits. This was also directed to the German government before Invictus. Germany did the exact opposite, providing H&M with state protection worthy of an emperor 🙂
It’s hard to even comment on this! These people are trash…
Charles may want to consider the possibility that he, not Harry, is the one who wouldn’t really be missed by Britain/the British public, especially the way things have been going the last few months. Or if he is, it’s only because William is next in line, and he’s worse.
“To ask him to pay for it privately feels a tiny bit spiteful, given that there are other members of the Royal Family who receive it who do far less.’
The “spiteful” is getting attention here, and rightfully so because it’s accurate, but I also love the “who do far less,” because it could mean William and Kate, too.
I thought Harry offered to pay, and they STILL refused him? So its not that he has to pay for it, it’s that Charles won’t let him have security even if Harry will pay for it himself. That is another level of evil.
I recall exactly this, also.
He did ask and they turned him down. Unforgivable.
No one can give an explanation for why they couldn’t just let Harry pay either. It is fundamentally one of the most baffling things I’ve ever seen. You horrible people, the royals, rota, and people who buy into a system of monarchy in the first place, made Harry’s security risk high from the second he was conceived. Come on, it shouldn’t even be a question of “needing an assessment”, that is completely ridiculous. Add on the absolute frenzy of hate the British media and Kensington/Buckingham palaces have spent almost a decade engaged in? No one should need a risk assessment to know the Sussexes need the best security. Even if his family wants him dead.
Yeah IIRC the issue is that in the UK only police have guns and maybe other tools of crowd control and authority. So he can’t just bring his own private security from the States — or rather he can, but they won’t be as effective at stopping a violent threat. (I am an anti-gun violence person but Harry is a lightning rod!) And he HAS offered to pay, once they used that as an excuse, but then they changed it and said they can’t (won’t) let him have the privilege of police officer protection as a private citizen. It’s really petty and messed up, especially since the risk is obvious to most around the world! And they caused a good bit of it…
A master of understatement!