Harry told Oprah of shock at removal of security and how he pushed back
The Duke of Sussex said while he and his wife had changed status in stepping back from their royal roles, the risk remained.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Having his security detail removed came as a “shock”, the Duke of Sussex told Oprah Winfrey in the bombshell interview about his departure from royal life alongside his wife.
Harry told the US television host he “never thought” he would have his security detail removed upon deciding to step back from royal duties, and had “pushed back” at the time.
During the sit-down interview, broadcast in March last year, the Duchess of Sussex said she had written to her husband’s family urging them not to “pull his security”.
Their justification was a change in status. I pushed back and said is there a change of threat or risk?
Harry said: “I was born into this position. I inherited the risk. So that was a shock to me.”
Meghan said that despite her pleas, the couple had been told “it’s just not possible”.
She said: “I even wrote letters to his family saying: ‘Please, it’s very clear the protection of me or Archie is not a priority, I accept that, that is fine – please keep my husband safe. I see the death threats, I see the racist propaganda, please keep him safe, please don’t pull his security and announce to the world when he and we are most vulnerable.’
“And they said it’s just not possible.”
Harry said while he and Meghan had changed status in stepping back from their royal roles, the risk remained.
Gripping his wife’s hand, he said: “Their justification was a change in status. I pushed back and said is there a change of threat or risk?
“Eventually, I got the confirmation that no, the risk hasn’t changed but due to our change of status – we would no longer be ‘official’ members of the royal family.”
Harry first offered to personally pay for police protection in the UK for himself and his family during the so-called Sandringham summit in January 2020, but a legal representative for the duke said that offer “was dismissed”.
Harry has now filed a claim for a judicial review against a Home Office decision not to allow him to personally pay for such protection while in the UK.
The legal representative said he wants to bring his son Archie and baby daughter Lilibet to visit from the US, but the family-of-four are “unable to return to his home” because it is too dangerous.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.