Letters have indicated that the Queen sought “effective security” for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, casting doubt on the royal couple’s narrative, according to reports.
Court documents reveal communications between Queen Elizabeth II's senior aide and the then Cabinet Secretary, highlighting the monarch's view that maintaining “effective security” for the Sussexes was “imperative.”
Sir Edward Young wrote to Sir Mark Sedwill, stating that ensuring the safety of Harry and Meghan was “of paramount importance” to Her Majesty and her family.
Harry contested the decision to reduce his publicly funded security detail following his departure as a working royal in 2020.
In a statement presented in court, Harry expressed that he felt “forced” to leave the UK due to the security downgrade, as reported by the Mirror.
Harry and Meghan have consistently claimed they were cut off by the royal family.
In his autobiography, Spare, Harry describes his desperation to retain security and his pleas to family members, including the late Queen, for continued armed protection.
He emphasises that he and Meghan were focused on their roles and safety, stating: “Look. Please. Meg and I don’t care about perks, we care about working, serving – and staying alive.” Harry also mentioned feeling “totally abandoned.”
In a statement presented in court this week, Harry wrote: "It was with great sadness to both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020. 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 United States. That cannot happen if there is no possibility to keep them safe when they are on UK soil. I can't put my wife in danger like that and given my experiences in life I'm reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm's way too."
Although in January 2020, just as the pair left the UK for life in the US, the Sussexes said they "chose" to leave rather than were "forced".
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A statement released at the time read: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.
"We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment."
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