Prince Harry reveals why it's 'still dangerous' for Meghan Markle to visit UK after royal security removed
LONDON, UK: In a candid interview for ITV's documentary 'Tabloids on Trial,' which premiered on July 25, Prince Harry opened up about his fears for wife Meghan Markle's safety in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, expressed that the risk of danger remains a significant concern, deterring him from bringing his wife back to his homeland, as reported by PEOPLE.
Prince Harry explains reluctance to take Meghan Markle to the UK
"It's still dangerous, and all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read," Harry stated.
"And whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It's one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country."
In 2022, Neil Basu, the former head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police, acknowledged the real threats to Meghan's life while she lived in the UK.
"We had teams investigating it. People have been prosecuted for those threats," Basu said at the time.
Despite these concerns, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) removed Harry and Meghan's automatic right to UK police security when they stepped back as senior royals. Harry's offer to cover security costs was rejected, and a High Court judge recently upheld the decision to downgrade his security.
Prince Harry plans to appeal this decision, seeking a fair application of RAVEC's rules. "The Duke is not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of RAVEC’s own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others in accordance with RAVEC’s own written policy," a legal spokesperson said.
In a statement to the High Court in London, Prince Harry said he needed police security for his two children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, "to feel at home" in his native country.
"The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the United States," Harry said.
"That cannot happen if there is no possibility to keep them safe when they are on UK soil."
"I can't put my wife in danger like that, and given my experiences in life, I'm reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm's way too," he added.
Prince Harry reflects on family rift and legal battles
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, 42, relocated their family to California in 2020. While the Duke of Sussex has frequently returned to the UK, including for his father's coronation in May 2023, Meghan has only made a handful of trips back. Her last visit was in September 2022 during the funeral events for Queen Elizabeth II.
The couple’s children were last in the UK in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. The family marked Lili's first birthday with a backyard celebration at Frogmore Cottage, their former Windsor home, from which they were asked to vacate after their move to the US. While Archie was born in England, Lili was born in California.
In a recent interview, Prince Harry discussed the significant impact of his legal battles against tabloids on his relationship with his family. Harry won a phone hacking lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers in December 2023.
NEW: @ITV announces Prince Harry has taken part in a documentary about phone hacking.
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) July 10, 2024
He tells our reporter @BeccaBarry why he is fighting to expose what he says are the illegal activities of Britain’s tabloid newspapers.
Hugh Grant, Charlotte Church, Paul Gascoigne also speak.… pic.twitter.com/0gFPZWMmo7
"I think that's certainly a central piece to it," Prince Harry said. "Anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press. I've made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It would be nice if we did it as a family. These are the things we should be doing for the greater good. But I'm doing this for my reasons."
Regarding the royal family's silence on the issue, Harry stated, "Everything that's played out has shown people what the truth of the matter is. For me, the mission continues. But it has caused part of a rift."
However, Harry noted his late grandmother’s support. "We had many conversations before she passed, she knew how much this meant to me," he shared. "She is up there going, 'See this through to the end,’ without question."
When asked about King Charles and Kate Middleton's recent cancer diagnoses, Harry emphasized that these matters are separate from his legal battles. "My father and my sister-in-law's health and my legal battles are two completely different things," he clarified.
Prince Harry continues to pursue two ongoing civil cases against the publishers of The Mail and The Sun, who deny any unlawful information gathering claims. This follows the High Court's December ruling that he was hacked by Mirror Group Newspapers.
