Prince Harry Says It’s Not Safe to Return to the UK

Prince Harry says it’s unsafe to return to the UK with his wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, due to a lack of security. In an effort to avoid missing Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee this summer, Harry is threatening legal action against the British government, seeking police protection whenever he and his family are in Britain. On Saturday, the Duke of Sussex’s legal representative issued a statement detailing why additional security is needed beyond his own private security team. “Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life. He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats,” Harry’s legal representative wrote. “While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.”

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home,” the statement continued. “The duke first offered to pay personally for UK police protection for himself and his family in January of 2020 at Sandringham. That offer was dismissed. He remains willing to cover the cost of security, as not to impose on the British taxpayer.”

It concluded: “As is widely known, others who have left public office and have an inherent threat risk receive police protection at no cost to them. The goal for Prince Harry has been simple — to ensure the safety of himself and his family while in the UK so his children can know his home country. During his last visit to the UK in July 2021 — to unveil a statue in honour of his late mother — his security was compromised due to the absence of police protection, whilst leaving a charity event.

The security dispute comes two years after Harry and Meghan stepped away from their royal duties, consequently losing their publicly funded police protection in the UK. Read the full statement from Prince Harry’s legal spokesperson here.