In an interview with BBC News, Prince Harry expressed that his legal conflict with the British government regarding his security not only represents a legal issue, but also the core of the tensions that persist with his family and the only unresolved issue with the Windsors.
The prince’s statements came shortly after the UK Court of Appeals dismissed his request to reinstate the state-funded security scheme. Harry had tried to regain that level of security after losing it when he stepped back from his royal duties and moved to the United States in 2020 with Meghan Markle.
The judicial ruling was issued on Friday, May 2nd by Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos, who was supported by the other two court justices. With this decision, it is confirmed that the prince does not have an automatic right to police protection when returning to the country.
Does Harry want to reconcile with his family?
During the conversation with BBC News, the prince acknowledged having forgiven the British Royal Family, although he stated that there is still no willingness to engage in dialogue on the part of his father. “I don’t know how much time my father has left, and he doesn’t want to talk to me about this security issue. It would be nice to reconcile,” he declared.
The dispute dates back to 2020, when the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) resolved to reduce the level of police protection for the Duke of Sussex and his family. The decision was made after Harry and Meghan stepped down from their roles as active members of the royal family and settled in North America.
Since then, the prince has argued that his private security team in the United States lacks access to confidential information from the United Kingdom, which would compromise the security of his family when they visit the country. In that sense, he stated that he does not feel comfortable returning with his wife and children due to the lack of guarantees.
In the interview, he also stated that he considers the judicial decision as an example of institutional manipulation, which could affect other members of the royal family who are considering taking different paths. “What this does is imprison other family members, preventing them from choosing a different life,” he said.
Prince Harry concluded by stating that he felt disappointed by the process and that, in his opinion, the use of security criteria could become a mechanism of control within the British monarchy.