Prince Harry has claimed that his wife, Meghan Markle, would not have received security protection as a member of the Royal Family without his personal intervention.
The Duke of Sussex made this allegation in a lengthy letter published on Sussex.com, the couple's official website, on May 2.
The statement came just hours after a UK judge dismissed his legal appeal to review the state-funded security arrangements that Harry maintains were unfairly withdrawn when he and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties in 2020.
In his letter, the 40-year-old prince described the Royal Household as a "key decision maker" in RAVEC, the Government committee responsible for royal security arrangements.
Meghan Markle 'security snub' exposed as Prince Harry alleges Buckingham Palace U-turn
BBC / PA
In a striking allegation, Prince Harry claimed that RAVEC initially decided against providing security protection for Meghan before she joined the Royal Family.
"In November 2017, before the Royal Household's role on RAVEC was known, this secretive committee concluded that when my wife would join the Royal Family, she should not receive protection," Prince Harry stated in his letter.
He further revealed that the committee only reversed this decision after his direct challenge.
"Only when I asked for the name of the person willing to carry that risk did they reverse the decision," the Duke of Sussex wrote.
Meghan and harry stepped back from official royal duties in 2020GettyThis revelation suggests that Harry had to personally intervene to ensure his then-fiancée would receive appropriate security measures upon joining the Royal Family.
Prince Harry and Meghan began their relationship in July 2016, with the couple announcing their engagement in November 2017.
They married at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
The following year, in May 2019, they welcomed their first child, son Prince Archie, who is now five years old.
King Charles and Prince Harry last met each other in February 2024PAIn January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step back from their royal roles in the UK, a move that sent shockwaves through the monarchy. The couple subsequently relocated to Meghan's home state of California.
Their daughter, Princess Lilibet, now three, was born in June 2021 after they had settled in the United States.
This timeline spans their relationship from courtship through to their current life away from royal duties.
Prince Harry characterised his legal appeal for security as a "last resort" in his statement following the court's decision.
The Duke of Sussex expressed his desire for reconciliation with the Royal Family in an emotional interview following his legal defeat over security arrangements in the UK.BBCThe Duke expressed his disappointment with the outcome hours after the dismissal. In an interview with the BBC released shortly after the court ruling, Prince Harry said he was "devastated" by the situation.
He also expressed a desire for "reconciliation" with his family, particularly with his father, King Charles. The security issue has remained a significant point of contention since the Sussexes stepped back from royal duties.
Harry has consistently maintained that the removal of state-funded security protection placed his family at unnecessary risk.
His recent statement and interview suggest that despite the ongoing legal battles, the Duke still hopes to repair family relationships that have been strained in recent years.
In response to the DukeofSussex’s failed legal challenge over his security in the UK, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told GB News: “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”
