Duchess Meghan + Prince Harry
Letters on behalf of the Queen raise doubts about her Megxit story
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Since their exit from royal duties, Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry are no longer entitled to state-funded security protection in Great Britain. King Charles’ son is suing. But now letters have emerged that could undermine his efforts.
Prince Harry, 39, had to appear in court again in the past few days. In a statement released on December 7, the royal claimed he felt “forced” to leave the UK by the downgrading of his security. But was that really the case? According to the Daily Telegraph, letters between the most senior aide to Queen Elizabeth, †96, and the then cabinet minister submitted to the judge document that the late monarch apparently considered it “imperative” that “effective security” for the grandson and his wife should be guaranteed.
Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry: Correspondence raises questions
Accordingly, Sir Edward Young assured Sir Mark Sedwill in a letter that the safety of the duke couple was “of the utmost importance to Her Majesty and her family”. An unexpected turn of events, as the Sussexes have previously claimed that they had simply been dropped by the royal family in that regard after their exit from their roles as senior royals.
In his memoirs entitled “Spare” [deutscher Titel: “Reserve”] Harry wrote that he was “desperate” at the time and literally begged his grandmother and the family to continue receiving police protection. His alleged words to relatives: “Please. Meg and I are not about perks, we are about working, serving – and staying alive.” He felt “completely let down.”
Prince Harry contradicts himself
In his most recent statement to the court, Harry reiterated that, from his perspective and that of Meghan, his withdrawal from royal duties was not voluntary: “We are both very sad that my wife and I are forced to step down from this role and to leave the country in 2020”, and continued: “The UK is my home. The UK is central to my children’s heritage and a place where they should feel as at home as where they currently live in the United States.” He made his conditions clear again: “This cannot happen if there is no way to protect them when they are on British soil. I cannot expose my wife to such danger, and given my life experiences, I am not willing to put myself in unnecessary danger.”
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New sounds in the sensational saga of Megxit. In January 2020, Harry and Meghan assured in a statement on the occasion of their resignation that they had decided to leave Great Britain of their own accord and had not been “forced” to do so. “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have decided to make a transition this year and begin to assume a progressive new role within this institution,” they announced at the time. “We intend to retire as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, whilst continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.” And further: “Thanks to your encouragement, especially in recent years, we feel ready to make this adjustment.”
Lack of transparency?
The Sussexes said goodbye to royal duties in March 2020 when they moved to the United States with son Archie, 4. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) then decided to withdraw royal security standards from Harry.
Harry is now fighting in court in his old homeland for the protection that was taken away from him and his loved ones. His lawyers argue that there was a lack of transparency in the decision surrounding his safety. In addition, the apparently usual risk analysis was not applied in his case.
Source used: telegraph.co.uk, Prince Harry “Spare” (published January 2023)