Prince Harry says he’s struggling after finding out things during a recent court case about why his royal security was taken away. He told PEOPLE that he believes the removal of protection for him and Meghan Markle was a plan to pressure them into returning to royal duties. He called the discovery “hard to swallow.”
Harry, 40, was in London for two days in early April, attending court to appeal a decision made in 2020 when he and Meghan stopped being working royals. At the time, they were told they would no longer get state-funded security, even though Queen Elizabeth had written letters supporting their need for protection.
Harry said that when he and Meghan planned to live part-time outside the U.K. but still support the monarchy, they thought it would be a good solution for everyone. But just weeks after the plan was shared, a government group called RAVEC decided they wouldn’t get security anymore. Harry found this shocking and upsetting.
He believes this decision wasn’t just about money or policy—it was about trying to control them and force them back into royal life. Instead, it pushed him further away and made him realize how far people would go to get their way. That, he said, was very painful to learn.
Harry also said he was “exhausted and overwhelmed” by the situation. During the court case, his legal team said he was treated unfairly and differently from other high-profile people like former prime ministers and celebrities who still receive security in the U.K.
The case revealed that some of the people making the security decision were close to his father, King Charles. Harry believes Charles could have stepped in to help, but didn’t. The palace has denied that Charles has control over the matter.
