Prince Harry Insists He And Meghan Were 'Forced To Step Back' From Royal Life Due To 'Not Being Protected'
By Favour Adegoke on April 8, 2025 at 5:45 PM EDT
Prince Harry is appealing a UK Home Office decision to downgrade his security, arguing he and Meghan Markle were "forced" to step back as senior royals due to lack of protection.
His legal team claims RAVEC bypassed protocol and unfairly singled the Duke of Sussex out for "inferior treatment."
Prince Harry has since shared that he feels unsafe bringing his family to the UK and believes King Charles could intervene, though the monarchy holds no sway over security decisions.
Prince Harry And Meghan Felt Pressured To 'Step Back' From Royal Life Due To Security Concerns
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan shared their decision to step away from their roles as senior members of the royal family, expressing a desire to divide their time between the UK and North America.
However, during an appeal court hearing on April 8, 2025, regarding Harry's security arrangements in Britain, his legal representatives claimed the couple didn't leave by choice.
Instead, they "felt forced to step back from the role of full-time official working members of The Royal Family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution."
According to People Magazine, the lawyers added that the couple "wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of The Royal Family."
The court also heard that the downgrade in their security was never "discussed at any formal RAVEC [Royal and VIP Executive Committee] meeting."
Instead, the issue was allegedly handled during an informal discussion at Buckingham Palace on January 27, 2020.
The Duke Seeks Fair Assessment Over 'Bespoke' Protection Arrangement
Harry is challenging the UK Home Office over the February 2020 RAVEC decision that downgraded the publicly funded security he receives when in the country.
Although a High Court ruling previously sided with the government, Harry is now appealing and made a personal appearance at a London hearing on April 8, with proceedings set to continue on April 9.
His lawyer, Shaheed Fatima KC, argued that RAVEC failed to properly evaluate the risks he and his family faced and did not consult the Risk Management Board, which is the expert panel typically tasked with assessing such threats.
Fatima claimed that RAVEC introduced a "bespoke" security arrangement for Harry instead of following standard protocol without clear reasoning or documentation.
Prince Harry Felt 'Singled Out' For 'Inferior Treatment'
The Duke of Sussex argued that he was unfairly "singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment," and he has been excluded from protections compared to others in similar VIP categories.
Harry's legal team emphasized that he isn't asking to reinstate the full security privileges he once had as a senior royal but rather for a transparent and fair evaluation of his protection needs.
In response, the Home Office maintained that RAVEC had the authority to apply a tailored approach based on Harry's unique circumstances.
The office also asserted that its decision was supported by appropriate documentation.
The Duke's Security Dispute Reportedly Deepened Rift With King Charles
Harry's security concerns have reportedly added to the strain on his relationship with his father, King Charles.
The Duke of Sussex is said to believe that Charles has the power to step in and influence the outcome regarding his protection in the UK.
However, the British monarch constitutionally holds no authority over government decisions or RAVEC's security arrangements.
A palace insider previously said that the notion that Charles controls Harry's protection is "wholly incorrect."
"Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father," a source close to the royals told People Magazine.
Prince Harry Says He Won't Bring His Wife To The UK As 'It's Still Dangerous'
In an interview for ITV's documentary "Tabloids on Trial," which premiered on July 25, 2024, Harry voiced his concerns about his family's safety and expressed his apprehensions about returning to the UK with Meghan.
"It's still dangerous," Harry stated, per People Magazine, emphasizing that "all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read."
The Duke continued: "Whether it's a knife or acid, whatever it is, these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It's one of the reasons why I won't bring my wife back to this country."
In 2022, Neil Basu, the former counterterrorism chief for the Metropolitan Police, confirmed that there were credible threats to Meghan's life during her time in the UK.
"We had teams investigating it. People have been prosecuted for those threats," Basu noted at the time, seemingly corroborating Harry and Meghan's fears.
