Noble
British media: Queen advocated for Harry’s protection
British Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan in a photo from summer 2018. Photo
© John Stillwell/PA Wire/dpa
Should Harry and Meghan be subject to the same personal protection as the rest of the royal family? For Queen Elizabeth the matter seems to have been clear.
According to media reports, British Queen Elizabeth II is committed to protecting her grandson Prince Harry appointed. This emerges from a letter from her former private secretary, reported the PA news agency and the Times newspaper, citing court documents. Harry (39) and his wife Duchess Meghan (42) withdrew from the royal circle almost three years ago.
The letter reported what was recorded at a crisis meeting at the Sandringham estate in January 2020. It was therefore important to the Queen (1926-2022) that Harry and Meghan were protected. “You will understand that the safety of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is of the utmost importance to Her Majesty and their family,” said the letter from their private secretary to the top government official.
Given Harry’s public profile because of his background, his military service, Meghan’s own profile and the documented threats, it is imperative that they receive effective protection, PA quoted. There was also reference to tragic incidents in the past, probably a reference to the death of Harry’s mother Princess Diana. She died in a car accident, harassed by paparazzi.
Lawsuit against the British Home Office
Harry is currently fighting a lawsuit against the UK Home Office for adequate personal protection. The core issue is whether he is entitled to the same security precautions as the rest of the royal family when he travels to his old homeland. He currently lives in the USA with his wife and children.
The excerpts from the letter emerged in another legal dispute against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday tabloid. According to the documents, Harry said he offered to pay for police protection in Sandringham in January 2020. This was not mentioned in the letter, the documents say. The ministry had rejected this – a lawyer had pointed out that police protection could not be bought.