Prince Harry believes his father King Charles is denying him automatic police protection in the UK in an attempt to “control” him, according to a report.
The Daily Beast in the United States claims that Harry is arguing that there is a “very real threat” to his and his family’s safety on home soil and is being unreasonably dismissed.
A source told the publication that the Duke of Sussex lays the blame for being denied better police protection firmly at the feet of his father, King Charles, saying: “If the king wanted, he could do this for his son.”
However, official sources at Buckingham Palace told the website that it would be “wholly inappropriate” for the king to pull rank and attempt to influence the government committee, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), which makes decisions about royals’ personal protection.
The source said: “Why would he bring his wife and children back to the UK if they are not going to be protected? The duke needs protection, they need protection.
“The threat level hasn’t changed since he stepped back from the royal family, if anything it has got worse because of the tabloid campaign against him and his wife.”
Prince Harry, 39, made the same point himself during an interview in the ITV documentary Tabloids on Trial last week, saying that his wife Meghan Markle could not safely return to the UK, and that he feared her being the target of an acid or knife attack triggered by negative tabloid coverage of her.
Asked why they thought Harry was being denied protection, which has the effect of restricting his ability to visit the UK, the source said: “It’s about control.”
The source added that these decisions were now a matter for the courts, as Harry continues to litigate the matter.
Prince Harry has had a long drawn out legal battle with the Home Office over his protection.
Deliberations centred on the Home Office’s refusal to allow him to pay for police protection when he visits the UK. Harry is currently in the process of appealing the case.
Since stepping back as a working member of the Royal Family, Harry has been based in the United States with his family, and the UK government’s stance is that his security, when in the United Kingdom, should be self-funded, except during official royal events or when accompanying the Royal Family.
