Meghan Markle Makes a Subtle Swipe at the Royal Family After Prince Harry Loses Bid for Security

Meghan Markle showed up in support of Prince Harry after he lost his court appeal to reinstate state-funded security last week. In a heartfelt response, the Duchess of Sussex shared a rare black-and-white family portrait on Instagram as the news broke. The photo featured Harry, strolling in their backyard, holding Prince Archie’s hands while little Princess Lilibet rested on his shoulders.

Markle posted the photo on 3 May, one day after the court ruled against Harry. According to the Daily Mail, her subtle swipe at the royal family prompted a reaction from an insider who allegedly told royal correspondent Rebecca English, "Well that’s a rather giant f*** you, isn’t it?" English added, "That’s the one thing the Duchess of Sussex does have in common with the royal family: knowing the power of a well-timed image." Royal watchers have also accused Markle of posting the photo of her kids in a bid to steal the spotlight from Princess Charlotte's birthday celebrations. The Mirror reports that it also comes as the royal family hopes 'nothing will detract or distract' from the VE Day celebrations, after Harry's bombshell interview.

In his recent sit-down with the BBC, Harry admitted that he was 'devastated' at losing his appeal for protection. He said, “I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.” He also expressed his frustration with the royal family and alleged, “I thought…the one thing that I could rely on is my family keeping me safe. And not only did they decide to remove my security in the U.K., but they also signaled to every single government around the world not to protect us.”

Harry's recent hearing on April 9 saw his lawyer, Shaheed Fatima KC, tell the court that the Prince had been “singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment.” As reported by The Independent, she said during the closing submission, “There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security, and whose life is at stake.” She added, “There is a person sitting behind me who is being told he is getting a special bespoke process when he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior in every respect.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were stripped of their taxpayer-funded protection when they stepped down as senior royals in 2020. Last year, in February, Harry lost his initial bid for security against the Royal and VIP Executive Committee [RAVEC]. After his initial loss, he was given the go-ahead by the Court of Appeal to challenge the High Court's decision in June. Since then, the Duke has shared in numerous interviews that he ‘fears’ bringing his wife and children to the UK, given the lack of adequate security.