Prince Harry has expressed his frustration over losing his automatic security. He has even filed a legal challenge to have it restored. In February, the High Court decided that the choice by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) to offer “bespoke” security for Harry was lawful.
However, Harry has been granted permission to appeal the decision. While his dissatisfaction with the security removal is known, a letter from his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth, reveals her thoughts on the issue.
At the 2020 Sandringham Summit, Prince Harry and senior Royals discussed the future of the Duke and his wife, Meghan Markle, as non-full-time working Royals. After the summit, Sir Edward Young, the late Queen’s private secretary, wrote to the Cabinet on her behalf. He detailed the discussions and shared the Queen’s views on Harry-Meghan’s security.
“You will understand well that ensuring that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain safe is of paramount importance to Her Majesty and her family,” The Metro quoted Sir Young as writing on the Queen’s behalf.
“Given the duke’s public profile by virtue of being born into the Royal family, his military service, the duchess’s own independent profile, and the well-documented history of targeting of the Sussex family by extremists, it is imperative that the family continues to be provided with effective security,” the letter said.
“And, of course, the family is mindful of tragic incidents of the past,” the letter added. As per the publication, it was an apparent reference to Diana’s death.
Harry’s security concerns
Prince Harry earlier disclosed that the British tabloids’ coverage of his life, using illegally-obtained private information, had caused safety concerns for his family, especially his wife, the Duchess of Sussex.
“They pushed me too far. It got to a point where you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. I don’t think there’s anybody else in the world that is better suited and placed to be able to see this through than myself,” Harry said in an ITV News documentary.