Harry believes Charles can override security decisions: 'haunted by Diana's incident'

Prince Harry and King Charles’s relationship is reportedly in a "dreadful" condition due to security concerns in the UK, according to a royal commentator. 

Richard Fitzwilliams discussed the issue on this week's episode of The Royal Record podcast with Cameron Walker, the Royal Correspondent, and Svar-Nanan-Sen, the Digital Royal Editor, as they examined the possibility of the Duke of Sussex returning to the UK.

Svar said: "Richard, you mentioned security issues and we know now that Prince Harry is very unlikely to travel back to the UK for his uncle, Lord Fellowes' funeral.

"Security issues have been the reason that's being put out there. He spoke recently of fearing being attacked whilst he was in the UK, and we know he's not comfortable with the level of security that he's got in the UK.

"Do you foresee that this is going to be an obstacle that Harry will face now and he may really step away from the UK and not return unless it's for a major event?"

Fitzwilliams responded: "This is a very, very curious issue because when the Sussexes stepped back, only to step down as senior working royals, they knew they would lose automatic police protection.

"Harry believes this was a wrong decision and that it was wrongly made. He's sued against the Home Office. I mean, he was always going to lose that."

In June, it was announced that the Duke of Sussex will be able to appeal against a High Court ruling which dismissed his challenge over a decision to downgrade his level of personal security when he visits the UK.

Prince Harry first took legal action against the Home Office in 2020 over a decision that he should receive a different degree of taxpayer-funded protection after he and his wife Meghan Markle stepped back from life as working royals.

Fitzwilliams added: "What is clearly emerging is that he believes Britain is dangerous. Now, that appears hypocritical when you look at, say, security in Nigeria, even if it was arranged by the defence minister.

"Or the security in Colombia, even if the vice president is arranging it, and the facts simply are that both countries are considered somewhat dangerous, certainly parts of them.

"Harry is taking this case, which he lost to the High Court about getting police protection, to the Court of Appeal.

"I suspect that his view of security fears will have been heightened by the recent riots here.

"We learned from People that he believes one of the reasons for the dreadful breach between him and King Charles appears to be that he believes that King Charles has the power to override Ravec which makes these decisions, and reinstate their police protection.

"When he was last here, not only did he not see his father, but also reportedly was offered a room in the Palace and chose a hotel.

"So it doesn't make that much sense. But what does [make sense] very clearly is he does believe there's a threat.

"We know he's haunted by what happened to his mother, and we know on this particular issue he's taking it further to the Court of Appeal.

"He wants to be one of the other VIP categories. Certainly post the riots because they are conscious of those extremist threats.

"It would at least be a gesture so far as the British establishment is concerned, if he was given the security that he feels he ought to have, would he then return more often?

"Would he bring Meghan? Would she want to come, given the fact she's so unpopular? Would King Charles meet his grandchildren again? Time will tell."