Royal Security Fiasco: Prince Harry's Court Case Could Raise Questions About Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie's 'Police Protection'
Prince Harry's ongoing security court case could potentially raise questions about Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie's need for protection.
Prince Harry's battle with the British Home Office rages on in court, as he is determined to win back police protection for himself and his family when in Britain. If the Duke of Sussex's taxpayer-funded security was to be reinstated after he and Meghan Markle left the U.K. in 2020, junior royals like Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie could potentially get theirs back as well.
Harry and Meghan lost their police protection when they ceased being working members of the royal family and relocated to California. Even though state security is only afforded to royals who actively work for the monarch, Harry let it be known that he and the Duchess of Sussex "felt forced" to leave the monarchy nearly four years ago.
"It was with great sadness for the both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020. "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," the fifth in line to the throne's recent witness statement read.
He continued: "That cannot happen if it is not possible to keep them safe when they are on U.K. soil. I cannot put my wife in danger like that, and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm’s way too."
Beatrice and Eugenie both lost their full-time security officers in 2011 during a period of "royal belt-tightening" led by then-heir to the throne, Prince Charles. Although the princesses were relatively high-up in the succession at that time, neither worked for the Crown, which Charles felt was a source of growing anger for British taxpayers. This allegedly engaged their father, Prince Andrew, who some analysts claim is watching Harry's court challenge closely for this sole reason.
Despite the Duke of Sussex's fortitude to keep pushing this issue, many commentators think he is overstepping when it comes to this concern.
"London is his home, and he wants his children to be here. They can’t be unless they get top protection. I thought to myself, if he starts doing that, it’s because everything else has failed. He wants to come back. He wants to be a member of the royal family again, but my goodness, he is a very changed Harry, and he’s going to do what he wants," royal expert Angela Levin recently told an outlet.
Lady Colin Campbell took a more pointed approach when observing the court proceedings and shared: "Harry has an addiction to litigation. That is a legal category called vexatious litigant. Harry needs to go into treatment and realize it’s one thing if the press defames you, it’s quite another thing to scratch around looking for all sorts of things trying to attack a free press when you are supporting the right to a press to be free. Harry is anti-free speech. He called the First Amendment 'bonkers.' Harry needs to grow up and realize if he is going to behave as a prince and claim to be one, he needs to start to act as one."
Powered by RedCircle
GBN reported on recent developments in Harry's court case.
