Charles Spencer Speaks Out on Prince Harry’s Security Battle and Childhood Trauma
The Earl voiced his concern about his nephew's security arrangements and his traumatic childhood since Princess Diana's death.
Princess Diana's security concerns led her to reject constant protection from Buckingham Palace after her 1996 divorce from King Charles. Feeling that palace security officers were spying on her and interfering with her lifestyle, she chose to step away from royal guards—a decision widely speculated to have contributed to her untimely death in 1997. In his memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Charles Spencer touches on the circumstances following her tragic demise and compares the press hounding Diana faced to Prince Harry's ongoing security struggles. After stepping back from royal duties with Meghan Markle in 2020, the Duke has repeatedly appealed for tax-funded protection, which has been denied due to their status as 'non-working' royals.
"I would say that I personally worry about the fifth in line to the throne, who's served in the military, not having any police protection," Spencer voiced during his BBC interview with Laura Kuenssberg. "As an uncle who's seen his sister die in very, very preventable circumstances, I would veer towards protection," he added. The Earl's remarks highlight the escalating discussion regarding the Sussexes' security following their unexpected homecoming.
RAVEC convened last week, and fresh risk assessments have been commissioned for Harry and Markle, reflecting their present circumstances, as confirmed by the chairman's contact with the Duke. In the latest developments, the Sussexes pulled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet out of their preschool after just two days due to a security scare, further intensifying their plea.
Spencer also highlighted how Harry's mental health was affected following his mother's sudden death. The Earl claimed that the then 12-year-old Duke was "allowed to spin out of control" after the unimaginable loss because of "lack of obvious care." "My chief memory of that train journey is of being concerned at the lack of obvious care for Harry, as he decompressed from the ghastliness of the morning," he wrote in his book, excerpts of which were published by the Daily Mail.
"He needed Diana’s hugs, of course, and they would forever be denied him," he continued. "But instead of calm and nurture, he was allowed to spin out of control." During the procession to Westminster Abbey, a young Harry appeared notably vulnerable alongside his brother, Prince William, and their father, Prince Charles. Spencer recalled how "tiny, and slight, and bereft" the Duke of Sussex looked in that moment.
"Too small to be doing this, I thought, and wondered how on earth this heartbroken child could bear the ordeal of that moment," Spencer reflected in his book. The Duke has previously shared the trauma of being made to walk behind his mother’s coffin, stating in 2017 that no child should have to face such a harrowing and heartbreaking situation. These remarks come shortly after Buckingham Palace addressed other claims about King Charles featured in the Earl's memoir.
