Prince Harry
Does he not feel safe in Charles’ residences?
© imago/FAMOUS
Did Harry cancel a meeting with Charles for security reasons? Apparently he didn’t want to stay in a London residence.
Prince Harry (39) has been fighting for more police protection in his British homeland for years. Fears for his safety are said to have gone so far that the Duke of Sussex declined an invitation from his father, King Charles (75), to stay at a royal residence earlier this month “for security reasons.” This is what “The Telegraph” now reports.
Prince Harry, who has been living in California with his family since 2020, spent several days in London to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games. A meeting between the 39-year-old and his father, who is suffering from cancer, did not take place. According to the report, Harry is said to have personally requested an appointment with the king several times. However, upon his arrival in the British capital, a statement was made suggesting that the monarch was too busy for a meeting. “Due to His Majesty’s busy schedule, it will unfortunately not be possible. The Duke naturally understands his father’s commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” it said.
Too little protection in the royal residences
Had Prince Harry accepted the invitation to stay at one of the royal residences, “it would have provided an opportunity to spend some time together outside of their hectic schedule,” reports The Telegraph. However, the Duke of Sussex is said to have declined because the offer did not include security measures, “which would have meant that he would have been accommodated in a visible location with public entrances and exits and without police protection.”
The royal residences are among the most protected properties in the country, according to the newspaper, with armed officers at the gates. However, the Duke of Sussex’s main focus is on the level of security offered to him outside the residence. In a hotel he can come and go unnoticed.
Prince Harry has been fighting for more protection for four years
In April, Prince Harry failed in an appeal against the reduction in his police protection during his visits home. For over four years, the royal has been grappling with the incomprehensible decision that he has a reduced right to police protection since his resignation as a working royal. The British government ordered this in 2020, and Harry has since taken legal action against it. Above all, he fears for the safety of his family; with his wife Duchess Meghan (42), Harry has two children, Prince Archie (5) and Princess Lilibet (2).