Prince Harry, Meghan Markle face security unknowns as world marks anniversary of Princess Diana’s death

As the world commemorates the 29th anniversary of Princess Diana's tragic death, questions continue to surround the security arrangements for Prince Harry and his family, the Duchess of Sussex. Unlike other members of the British royal family, including Prince Charles and Prince William, Harry and Meghan, the newly-appointed Dukes of Sussex, do not receive taxpayer-funded armed police protection.

The responsibility for granting security to non-working royals in the U.K. falls to the Independent Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC). In 2020, RAVEC ruled that the Sussexes' security would be granted on a case-by-case basis. Despite this, Harry has been vocal about his concerns regarding the family's safety, citing a potential Al Qaeda threat allegedly overlooked by RAVEC in 2023.

The Sussexes, who moved back to the U.K. last week, have been relying on a privately funded security team since 2020, following their decision to step back as senior working royals. Harry recently wrote to the U.K. government's police minister, asking for enhanced protection, but neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace have commented on the matter.

The security situation for Harry's family mirrors that of Princess Diana, who had to rely on private security after her divorce from Charles in 1996 and her untimely death in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at the age of 36. Harry has expressed that his family's decision to remove his security, particularly during a vulnerable period, contributed to his tensions with his father and brother.