Despite the long-standing scandal involving Prince Andrew, the majority of the Royal Family have refrained from publicly addressing his downfall, with the exception of Prince Harry. Known for his candid expressions regarding the treatment of himself and his wife, Meghan, by the monarchy, Prince Harry expressed his discontent over his disgraced uncle retaining royal privileges that had been revoked from him and Meghan.
In 2022, following a civil case in the US initiated by accuser Virginia Giuffre against Andrew, the late Queen stripped him of his royal patronages, honorary military roles, and police protection. Nonetheless, reports indicated that Queen Elizabeth privately funded his security, a practice allegedly ceased by King Charles in 2024. Prince Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations against him.
When Prince Harry and Meghan withdrew from their royal duties, they initially aspired to continue representing the crown part-time, which was promptly dismissed. Subsequently, during their stay in Canada amid the rapid closure of borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their publicly funded security was withdrawn, leaving them vulnerable.
In contrast, Prince Andrew, despite stepping back from official royal duties in 2019, retained his privileges until 2022. Prince Harry has persistently advocated for the reinstatement of his security when visiting the UK, emphasizing the limitations of private security firms in providing adequate protection for his family. He maintained that the security threat against them persists despite their non-working royal status.
Currently, Prince Harry receives a customized security arrangement from the police, subject to the Home Office’s decision on a case-by-case basis. Despite a prolonged legal battle to regain automatic protection, Prince Harry’s efforts were unsuccessful.
The significance of security to Prince Harry was evident when he acknowledged that King Charles had ceased communication with him due to this issue, yet he continued the legal pursuit. In his memoir, he highlighted the perceived double standards in the treatment of himself and Meghan compared to Prince Andrew, who faced serious allegations unlike the Sussexes.
Reflecting on the situation, Prince Harry recounted a conversation with Meghan in 2020 where they discussed the possibility of losing their security, emphasizing the prevailing hostility and drawing parallels to Princess Diana’s tragic fate and the circumstances surrounding Prince Andrew.