Three years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made headlines by stepping back from their royal duties and leaving the UK, the Duke of Sussex says they felt “forced” to leave due to safety concerns.
The Duke is engaged in a legal battle with the UK Home Office over security concerns for his family during visits to his native country.
During a three-day hearing in London, Prince Harry’s lawyers presented a statement from the Duke, emphasising his desire for his children to feel at home in the UK while addressing the challenges posed by the downgrade in his security protection during visits. The government, in response, contends that his claim should be dismissed.
In the statement, Prince Harry, 39, expressed his sadness over feeling “forced” to step back from his royal role in 2020, citing security concerns for his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2.
“It was with great sadness to both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020,” he said in the statement, according to ITV.
“The U.K. is my home. The U.K. 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. That cannot happen if there is no possibility to keep them safe when they are on U.K. 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.”
The Duke emphasised the importance of the UK as his home and central to his children’s heritage, expressing his reluctance to put his family in harm’s way.
Markle, 42, previously told media mogul Oprah Winfrey that she contemplated self-harm during her time as a working royal after being relentlessly bullied by the British press.
Royal author Omid Scobie claims in his best-selling book Endgame that Markle’s brother-in-law Prince William, who is allegedly not fond of the Suits star, conspired with tabloids by leaking negative stories about her to distract the public from his rumoured affair with Rose Hansbury.
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Other insiders have claimed the negative stories about Markle helped take the heat of the Royal Family over Prince Andrew’s infamous sexual assault case.
“You were having suicidal thoughts?” Oprah asked during the 2021 interview.
“Yes. It was very clear and very scary,” Markle answered. “I just didn’t see a solution.” “Look, I was really ashamed to have to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry especially, because I know how much loss he’s suffered.
“But I knew that if I didn’t say that I would do it … and I just didn’t ― I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought.
“I remember how [Harry] just cradled me. I went to the institution. And I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. And I said that I’d never felt this way before. I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn’t, because it wouldn’t be good for the institution.”
Prince Harry’s legal dispute revolves around a decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) in February 2020 to remove Prince Harry’s automatic right to UK police security. Despite the Duke offering to cover security costs, the bid was rejected.
Prince Harry’s legal team argues against the decision, highlighting that he “does not feel safe” bringing his children to the UK. The attorneys also emphasize the impact of a successful attack on Prince Harry, given his status, background, and royal family profile, urging RAVEC to consider these factors.
In response, the Home Office contends that security decisions should be made on a case-by-case basis, citing a “material change” in Prince Harry’s position as he is no longer a working member of the Royal Family and resides abroad for the majority of the time.
Since relocating to California in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have visited the UK only once, in 2022, for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The legal battle continues as Prince Harry seeks to ensure the safety of his family during future visits to the UK.
