https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/five-things-prince-harry-could-26763233?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_campaign=royal_family_newsletter2&utm_medium=emailFive things Prince Harry could believe he’s protecting Queen from royals to aides
In his latest explosive TV interview, Prince Harry said he is making sure that his grandmother the Queen is protected but gave no explanation on who exactly he is protecting her from. Here we look at who he could mean...
By Jennifer Newton Royal Features Writer
13:28, 21 Apr 2022 Updated 14:00, 21 Apr 2022
Prince Harry's latest claim that he is making sure the Queen is "protected" and "has the right people around her" has sparked shock and surprise. Harry made the comment during a tell-all interview for America's Today show, where he was asked what it was like seeing his grandmother during a secret meeting at Windsor Castle alongside wife Meghan Markle last week. During the revealing chat, he told TV anchor Hoda Kotb: "Being with her, it was great. "It was just so nice to see her. She’s on great form. She's always got a great sense of humour with me and I'm just making sure she's protected and got the right people around her."
However, Harry was not pressed on who exactly he thought he was protecting the Queen from with some royal experts even branding the comment as having a "deeper, more sinister meaning".
So who could Harry have been referring to and how have his claims gone down? Here we take a look...
Royal advisors?
Although he did not explicitly state who he wanted to protect then Queen from, could Harry have been referring to Her Majesty's advisors?
Harry had already made a veiled dig at them during his other bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. In an excerpt of the interview shown after the original broadcast, Oprah asked: "Doesn't the Queen get to do what the Queen wants to do?"
But Harry said: "No, when you are head of The Firm there's people around you that give you advice and what has also made me really sad is that some of that advice has been really bad."
Royal staff?
Or could he have been referring to her other staff members that work with the Queen?
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, many of the staff opted to stay away from their friends and families and form what was dubbed HMS Bubble at Windsor Castle so they could continue their jobs, without putting the Queen or the late Prince Philip at risk of catching Covid-19 in the early days of the pandemic. However, one royal insider told the Sun it "beggars belief" if he was criticising the Queen's loyal aides. They said: "It beggars belief that you'd criticise devoted Royal Household staff who left their loved ones for three weeks at a time during Covid to carry out HMS Bubble and protect the Queen from Covid."
While another royal insider told the Daily Mail: "I have no idea what intention he may or may not have had in saying this, but Harry needs to start thinking before he opens his mouth."
Prince Charles, Prince William or other royals?
Harry had already made a veiled dig at them during his other bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. In an excerpt of the interview shown after the original broadcast, Oprah asked: "Doesn't the Queen get to do what the Queen wants to do?"
But Harry said: "No, when you are head of The Firm there's people around you that give you advice and what has also made me really sad is that some of that advice has been really bad."
Royal staff?
Or could he have been referring to her other staff members that work with the Queen?
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, many of the staff opted to stay away from their friends and families and form what was dubbed HMS Bubble at Windsor Castle so they could continue their jobs, without putting the Queen or the late Prince Philip at risk of catching Covid-19 in the early days of the pandemic. However, one royal insider told the Sun it "beggars belief" if he was criticising the Queen's loyal aides. They said: "It beggars belief that you'd criticise devoted Royal Household staff who left their loved ones for three weeks at a time during Covid to carry out HMS Bubble and protect the Queen from Covid."
While another royal insider told the Daily Mail: "I have no idea what intention he may or may not have had in saying this, but Harry needs to start thinking before he opens his mouth."
Prince Charles, Prince William or other royals?
Meanwhile, a royal insider also told the Sun: "Charles, William, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince Andrew regularly see the Queen and often stay over at Windsor Castle. Harry is talking to American breakfast television about one short meeting for tea with the Queen which was the first time in more than two years that both him and Meghan have seen her together."
But if he wasn't referring to his family, speaking about them has no doubt widened the rift between them and has reportedly left his dad Charles at the "end of his tether".
Royal expert Robert Jobson told GB News: "Prince Charles has reached the end of his tether, they haven't been in contact and had they have started blurting about that meeting, that would have been the end of it. It’s narcissism at the very extreme this is the guy who hasn’t seen his grandmother for a couple of years, well for a while since the funeral and that was only fleeting. I think actions speak louder than words and Prince Charles in particular has been stepping up and supporting his mother with actions.”
During a visit today to the Disaster Emergency Committee headquarters in London, William and wife Kate were asked about Harry's comments. As the couple stepped into their chauffeur-driven car a female broadcaster shouted: “Sir, does the Queen need protecting?”
The duke and duchess did not respond and continued into the vehicle before being driven away.
Security threats?
So if Harry was not referring to other royals or staff in his cryptic comment, did he mean he wanted to protect his grandmother from security threats?
Harry himself is currently locked in a legal battle with the UK government over a decision to downgrade his security after stepping down as a senior working royal. He is bringing a claim against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the same degree of personal police protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself. The duke says he wants to bring his children to visit, but he and his family are “unable to return to his home” because it is too dangerous, his legal representative has said. So does Harry believe the Queen needs protecting as her own security needs bolstering?
Well according to the Daily Mail, claims Her Majesty needing protected were rebuffed by Downing Street, with a spokesperson saying the Prime Minister was confident about her current welfare arrangements.
