Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Receive Strong Security Support From Charles Spencer
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received public support from Charles Spencer over their UK security concerns, with Princess Diana’s brother saying he personally worries about his nephew having no automatic police protection and would “veer towards protection.”
The Earl Spencer raised the sensitive issue during his interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg ahead of the release of his memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.
Much of Spencer’s recent attention has centred on the book’s disputed recollections involving Diana and the then-Prince Charles, but the Earl also used the interview to discuss both of his nephews.
Harry’s security arrangements have remained a particularly important issue for the Duke since he and Meghan stepped away from their positions as senior working members of the Royal Family.
Spencer made his own position clear by pointing to Harry’s place in the line of succession and his previous military service while explaining why the issue personally concerns him.
“I would say that I personally worry about the fifth in line to the throne who’s served in the military not having any police protection,” the Earl told Kuenssberg.
Spencer then connected those concerns to his own family history and the loss of Diana, explaining why he naturally favours taking a cautious approach when questions of personal safety are involved.
“As an uncle who’s seen his sister die in very, very preventable circumstances, I would veer towards protection,” he said during the BBC interview.
His comments offer support for Harry’s concerns about security, although decisions concerning publicly funded police protection are not simply a matter for King Charles or other members of the Royal Family.
Spencer’s reference to Diana also gives his position a deeply personal dimension. The Earl has repeatedly revisited the circumstances surrounding his sister’s life and death while promoting his forthcoming memoir.
During the same interview, he revealed that William and Harry would not be surprised by the material contained in Swan Song, although he declined to reveal details of private conversations with his nephews.
Spencer has also made several claims involving Charles, including his recollection of the then-Prince’s reaction after Diana’s death, prompting Buckingham Palace to publicly question whether grief had affected his memory.
His comments about Harry’s security, however, represent his personal view rather than confirmation that the Sussexes will receive any change to their existing protection arrangements in Britain.
For Harry and Meghan, Spencer’s intervention provides a prominent family voice supporting their security concerns. By invoking Diana’s death, the Earl made clear why he believes caution should take priority, arguing from his own painful experience that Harry’s safety deserves serious consideration.
