Prince Harry needs to 'stay on board with the Queen' says expert

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The Duke of Sussex needs “to be aware” some of his fans may be left upset if he gives the impression of avoiding his grandmother the next time he travels across the pond, royal author Ian Lloyd said. This comes amid speculation Prince Harry may be heading to The Netherlands this month to make an appearance at the upcoming Invictus Games.

Mr Lloyd, author of The Queen: 70 Chapters in the Life of Elizabeth II, told Newsweek: “I think he needs to be aware that in America they quite like family values and so he would need to be aware that if he apparently snubs the Queen by not visiting, I don’t think it would go down well in Britain or in America.”

Prince Harry hasn’t confirmed whether he will head to The Hague, where the next edition of the Invictus Games is taking place from April 16.

But, given his deep connection with the tournament he founded and some of the athletes taking part in it, there is a strong case for him to be making the trip across the Atlantic.

Chances Harry may soon travel across the pond sparked speculation about whether he would stop in England to see the Queen in person. 

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Commenting on the possibility of Harry making a trip to The Netherlands without stopping by the UK, Mr Lloyd said: “He should call in. It would be very embarrassing if he didn’t…

“The problem is the case regarding security with the Home Office.”

However, he added, “he’s got to balance the fact that he hasn’t seen his grandmother for a while and she hasn’t seen Lilibet.”

Mr Lloyd referred to the Duke’s decision last September to file a claim for a judicial review against the Home Office over its decision not to let him personally pay for police protection while he is in the UK. 

Speaking about the filing in January, a representative of the Duke said Prince Harry pays for his family’s security while in the US, but he can’t replicate the same level of safety provided by the UK police protection team while he is in Britain.

Therefore, the representative went on claiming, he had offered to pay for police protection whenever he and his family are in the UK, but the Home Office turned down his proposal.

The statement also read: “The UK will always be Prince Harry’s home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk.”

There have been so far two preliminary High Court hearings regarding the Duke’s application, focused on whether parts of the court documents should be kept confidential. 

The hearings did not decide whether the Duke’s claim against the Home Office can go ahead.

Presenting Harry’s case, Harry’s lawyer claimed the Duke “does not feel safe” returning to the UK with his family without police protection.

The legal representative of the Home Office told the High Court during one of the hearings Harry’s offer of private funding was “irrelevant” and that “personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately-financed basis”.

Moreover, Harry has been assigned “exceptional status” and his personal protective security when in the UK is considered on a “case by case basis” depending on the reason for his presence in Britain, the lawyer added. 

Another royal commentator, Richard Fitzwilliams, believes it would “make sense” if the Duke of Sussex took advantage of the fact he is already in Europe to stop over at Windsor Castle and visit his beloved grandmother.

He told the US publication: “We know that he is very fond of his grandmother.

“It is an opportunity which I think he ought to take.”

Another royal commentator, the Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer, recently said the Duke needs to “stay on board with the Queen” after he spoke highly about her in his interviews released in 2021 and made a very clear distinction between his criticism of the Firm and his love for Her Majesty.

Appearing on the Express’ Royal Round-Up programme, Mr Palmer said: “I think he needs to stay onboard publicly at least with the Queen.

“He has been very clear in trying to distinguish between criticism he and Meghan have made of the institution with criticism of the Queen. 

“I think they have avoided criticising the Queen.”

Prince Harry relocated to the US at the end of March 2020 and has since created a new life for himself and his family in California.

He returned alone to the UK on two occasions during 2021 – first in April to attend the funeral of his grandfather Prince Philip and once again in late June to attend an event of his patronage WellChild and unveil the statue of Princess Diana he had commissioned with Prince William in 2017.

While leaving the charity event, Harry’s representative claimed in the January statement regarding his judicial review application, the Duke’s safety was “compromised due to the absence of police protection”.

Prince Harry did not return to Britain last week to attend the memorial service for Prince Philip.

However, a spokesperson said the Duke hopes to see his grandmother “as soon as possible”.   

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