JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Did Prince Harry and Meghan Leave Royal Roles Because They Didn’t Feel Safe? Lawyer Claims They Were 'Forced' Out
Prince Harry’s legal team states that he and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties after feeling unprotected. Here's everything you need to know.
Prince Harry attended a court hearing in London on April 8 as part of his appeal against the decision to downgrade his police protection in the U.K. The Duke of Sussex is challenging a 2020 decision made by RAVEC (the Royal and VIP Executive Committee), which reduced the level of taxpayer-funded security he receives when in Britain.
Harry's lawyer, Shaheed Fatima KC, argued in court that the process behind the decision was flawed and lacked transparency. She said Prince Harry was "singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment" and that RAVEC diverted from its usual process, creating a bespoke arrangement without the proper documentation.
During the appeal hearing, Prince Harry’s legal team stated the reasons behind the couple's 2020 decision to step back from their royal roles. Fatima told the court that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “felt forced to step back from the role of full-time official working members of The Royal Family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision in January 2020, saying they intended to split their time between the U.K. and North America. According to Harry’s lawyers, the couple had hoped to continue their work as privately funded members of The Royal Family while still supporting the late Queen Elizabeth.
Harry’s lawyers also questioned how his security arrangements were decided. They said the matter does not appear to have been discussed at any formal RAVEC meeting. Instead, they pointed to a meeting at Buckingham Palace on January 27, 2020, where the issue was raised informally.
Fatima also told the court that RAVEC failed to consult the Risk Management Board (RMB), a body that specializes in assessing threats. She argued that the U.K. government’s committee did not fully evaluate the risks to Harry and his family.
Prince Harry has said he no longer feels safe bringing his family to the U.K. without proper police protection. His lawyers stressed that he is not asking for the same level of security he had as a working royal but a fair and consistent review process.
Harry and Meghan now live in California with their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3. Since their move in 2020, they have only brought their children to the U.K. once, during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
While the Duke believes King Charles could influence the outcome, royal sources have said that security decisions are not in the monarch’s control. A palace source told PEOPLE that the idea that Harry’s father can intervene is totally incorrect.
Latest Articles
