Prince Harry: Commentators discuss police protection

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex lost their police protection – funded by taxpayers – following their decision to step back from royal duties and move to the US in 2020. Harry is now taking legal action against the Government after the Home Office decided not to allow him police protection when in the UK.

A new poll of Express.co.uk readers suggests that more than half of readers believe he should only have private security.

Harry would be happy to foot the bill for police protection himself, according to his legal representative, “[so] as not to impose on the British taxpayer”.

But they insist this must be police protection – that private security would not be enough for intelligence reasons.

For the majority of those who gave their thoughts as to “who should pay for the Duke of Sussex’s security?”, the prince should not receive police protection, regardless of who pays for it.

Fifty-four percent of respondents said neither the Government nor Harry should pay for the Queen’s grandson to receive police protection while in the UK.

He should, instead, pay for “his own private security”, these said.

The prince’s legal representative insisted that, while Harry and Meghan Markle pay for a private security team in the US, “that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed while in the UK”.

They added: “In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.”

Just over two-fifths of respondents to the poll agreed that it would be acceptable for Harry to receive police protection while in the UK – so long as he paid for it himself.

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Only two percent of the more than 20,000 responses believed the Government – that is, the taxpayer – should fund Harry’s police protection.

Express.co.uk reader MargoHR stressed: “As Harry and Meghan decided to relinquish all royal duties and leave the UK to make tens of millions from Netflix and other American commercial activities, they should have to pay for their own security, 100 percent.

“It is wholly inappropriate to suggest the British taxpayer should make any payment whatsoever.”

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Here Goes added: “Harry and Meghan did not just ‘step away’ from their royal responsibilities and duties; they abandoned them to live a ‘private’ celebrity lifestyle in exile.

“In effect they abdicated their jobs and therefore are not entitled to their previous considerable advantages and perks which went with their former jobs.”

LucyLansi shared the view of the majority of respondents, noting: “The UK police shouldn’t be involved at all regarding Harry and his family security.

“He should hire and pay to private bodyguards.”

Harry’s legal representative said that when the royal was last in the UK, to unveil a statue in honour of his mother, his security was “compromised due to the absence of police protection”.

Reports suggest that, due to the ongoing dispute over security, Harry and Meghan could now not visit the UK for Prince Philip’s service of thanksgiving this spring.

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