Prince Harry is taking legal action after the UK government removed his family's bodyguards. Photo / Getty Images
Prince Harry is taking legal action after the UK government removed his family's bodyguards. Photo / Getty Images
A former royal protection officer has ripped into Prince Harry for demanding police security while in the United Kingdom, accusing him of "outrageous cheek".
Harry is taking legal action against the British government over the decision to remove his family's around-the-clock police bodyguards.
He and Meghan Markle fund their own private protection in the United States, but Harry argues it is unsafe for his family to visit the UK without the government-run security.
The Sussexes lost that protection when they took a step back from their royal duties two years ago, and moved to California. They are now considered private citizens.
"Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life," his legal team said in a recent statement explaining his stance.
"He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats.
"While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.
"The Duke and Duchess personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed while in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home."
Harry's lawyers have said he is willing to personally "cover the cost of security" to avoid "imposing" on British taxpayers.
Writing in the Daily Mail, former royal protection officer Ken Wharfe – who protected Harry's mother, Princess Diana – dismissed his offer to pay, declaring police protection "should not be for sale".
"Prince Harry has an outrageous cheek," said Wharfe.
"For the Queen and her government to accede to his demand and set this precedent is unthinkable.
"Harry is now a private citizen, domiciled in a foreign country. If he is granted the services of the Metropolitan Police's royal protection squad, for which he has magnanimously offered to pay, every visiting Hollywood star and wealthy celebrity may as well expect the same privileges.
Royal writer Phil Dampier says the removal of security means Meghan may never return to the UK. Photo / Getty Images
"Britain would face the humiliating prospect of hiring out our highly trained and armed officers to any reality television narcissist or tinpot dictator's children who can foot the bill."
Wharfe said Harry's threat of legal action against the British Government "and by extension the Queen herself" was "completely unprecedented for any royal".
Royal biographer Phil Dampier, whose various books include Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan in Their Own Words, told the Sun the situation created a "very good excuse" for Meghan to avoid going back to the UK.
"I don't think Meghan will ever come back to this country, and I think this is a very good excuse for not coming back," said Dampier.
"I don't think, realistically, [Harry] expects to win this case.
"Getting his protection reinstated would set a precedent, and so it gives them the perfect opportunity to say they can't come to [the Queen's] platinum jubilee celebrations.
"Harry might come over, but it gives Meghan a good excuse not to come and also not to bring the children."
The "sad" upshot of this, said Dampier, was that the Queen may "never" meet her granddaughter Lilibet.
