Queen Elizabeth Wanted Harry & Meghan To Have Continued Protection, Letter Says

Queen Elizabeth IIreportedly had Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's best interests at heart despite their decision to leave the royal family.

The former monarch of the British Empire never wished for her grandson and his family's security detail to be discontinued following their relocation to the U.S. in 2020. The deceased leader's final words recently came to light through a letter from the palace.

Queen Elizabeth's letter became public knowledge after it was provided as evidence in the High Court amid Harry’s current libel lawsuit against The Mail on Sunday newspaper.

Sir Edward Young penned the late Queen's thoughts about Harry and Meghan's protection during his time as her private secretary. The letter stemmed from the couple's decision to step down as working royals and leave the UK for a new life.

While the duo's choice sparked speculations about a rift in the Royal Family, it appears the former Head of the Commonwealth realms wanted their continued protection. “You will understand well that ensuring that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain safe is of paramount importance to Her Majesty and her family,” the letter read.

It continued, “Given the duke’s public profile by virtue of being born into the royal family, his military service, the duchess’s own independent profile, and the well-documented history of targeting of the Sussex family by extremists, it is imperative that the family continues to be provided with effective security.”

The U.K. cabinet secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill, reportedly received the letter following the Sandringham Summit held by the Queen in January 2020. Per Sunday Times, at the time the royal family gathered at the Queen's country home of Sandringham, Norfolk, to discuss Prince Harry and Meghan's future as non-working royals.

The late Queen Elizabeth II's words resurfaced amid her grandson's ongoing libel lawsuit as part of a three-day hearing. Recall that the Duke of Sussex is suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, for libel over a 2022 article about his security arrangements.

However, this is not Prince Harry's only legal drama, as he is fighting against the Home Office for discontinued security detail after they scaled back his and his family's protective measures to a “case-by-case” basis.

The Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) falls under the Home Office.

During a recent hearing, Prince Harry, through his attorney, dropped a shocking claim about his family's relocation to the US. In a written witness statement, the former working royal stressed that he “felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020.” 

Although the Army veteran did not share further details about who or what sparked his decision to leave, he focused on why he felt the Ravec's decision to reduce his publicly funded security was “unlawful and unfair.” His statement read:

“The UK is my home. The UK 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 US. That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil.”

Prince Harry stressed that Ravec's decision made him unwilling to risk his and his family's safety, adding: “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.”

Before the Queen's letter surfaced, sources claimed the Sussex family might have a better Christmas in the US compared to the UK. Last month, these insiders hinted that Prince Harry and his wife could receive icy treatments if they visit the royals during the festive period.

One informant bashed the couple's warm advances and willingness to visit King Charles for the holiday season as “bizarre,” given that they have not seen the royal residence in years. “Which begs the question, why now,” the source wondered.

“Is it something to do with the fact that some of their commercial deals, such as Spotify, have fallen around their ears, and they have been subject to ridicule in the U.S. in shows such as South Park and Family Guy?” the insider continued.

The informant did not hold back their thoughts about the Duke and Duchess, implying they might have realized that “moaning about how awful being a member of the Royal Family is, isn’t such a great strategy after all?”

Other reports noted Prince Harry and Meghan did not receive invitations to spend Christmas with the royals. The lack of an invite might stem from the rumored rift in the family, including Prince William being part of the group feeling uncomfortable with the Sussexes’ presence.