Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will likely still “remain distant” from the UK even if he does win the security battle, a royal expert has claimed. The former senior royal, 39, is currently challenging the UK government’s decision to provide him and his family with less police protection when visiting Britain.
Today, December 7, marks the final day of the court battle. Both Harry and Meghan have made very little visits to the UK since stepping down as senior royals at the start of 2020.
Unlike his wife, Harry had made a few trips to the UK this year – including a flying visit for the King’s Coronation back in May.
Although he has not appeared in court, Prince Harry’s lawyer Shaheed Fatima said that the earlier decision to cease his right to automatically receive personal police security was “unlawful and unfair”.
Speaking to the Express.co.uk about the possibility of him winning the case, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said: “Harry and his family had full police protection when they were senior working royals but lost it when they stepped down.
“His claim is that officials failed to consider the security threat and the impact on the nation if he became a victim.
“Were he to win the case, his belief that he was subjected to ‘unlawful and unfair treatment’ would be upheld and he will feel confirmed in his belief that he and his family have been discriminated against.”
Speaking of the other way the decision could go, Mr Fitzwilliams added: “Were he to lose he will undoubtedly be bitter. His offer to pay for security has already been rejected in the High Court in May, it would hardly be right for this to be bought.”
The expert added: “Either way, the strength of his feelings against the way he feels he has been treated are not likely to lessen.
“Without a base in Britain after their eviction from Frogmore, the Sussexes, especially after the publication of Spare earlier in the year and the current issue involving Omid Scobie and Endgame, are likely to remain extremely distant from the rest of the Royal Family.”
Meghan and Harry announced their decision to step back as senior royals occurred in January 2020, via a statement released on their official Instagram account.
Along with their decision, which was based around wanting a more private lifestyle and to be more “financially independent”, questions arose over whether the family – Harry, Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two – would still be entitled to police protection when they made trips to the UK.
But the Home Office — the ministry responsible for policing, security and immigration — previously decided that Harry would cease to automatically receive personal police security while in Britain – even if he were to cover the cost himself.
Following the first day of the latest court case, December 5, Harry was branded as “entitled” for wanting challenging the earlier decision made.
Speaking on GB News, host Martin Daubney said that “the word that leaps to mind is entitlement”, with royal expert Angela Levin agreeing.
Speaking on the show this week, Ms Levin said: “What [Harry] wants is [a] top policeman to look after him 24/7, and what the other side want is that he is only protected when he does something to do with the Royal Family, some particular event then he is [protected].
“But if he’s going around seeing friends and making rude noises about the Royal Family, he isn’t protected. He can get his own protection and pay for that, which he’s offered to do but he doesn’t want anybody who’s not absolutely at the top.”
