After facing years of scandal, Prince Andrew’s fall from grace has largely been met with silence from the Royal Family, with the exception of Prince Harry. Known for his outspoken nature regarding his royal connections and the treatment of himself and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, by the monarchy, Harry expressed his frustration over his uncle’s retention of royal privileges that were stripped from him and Meghan.
In 2022, amid a civil case in the US against Andrew by Virginia Giuffre, the Queen revoked his royal patronages, military titles, and police security. Despite this, reports indicate that Queen Elizabeth privately financed his security, a practice allegedly halted by King Charles in 2024. Andrew has consistently denied the allegations against him.
While Prince Harry and Meghan initially aimed to continue representing the crown part-time after stepping back as working royals, this notion was swiftly rejected. Their taxpayer-funded security was withdrawn while they were in Canada during the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving them feeling vulnerable.
Unlike Prince Andrew, who resigned from official royal duties in 2019, Harry maintained his security until 2022. Harry has been advocating for the reinstatement of his security when visiting the UK, emphasizing that private security lacks the necessary intelligence and jurisdiction to ensure their safety. Despite a prolonged legal battle to regain automatic protection, Harry’s attempts were unsuccessful.
Harry’s pursuit of security has strained his relationship with King Charles, as highlighted in his memoir. He criticized the differential treatment he and Meghan received compared to Andrew, who faced serious allegations unlike them. Harry recalled Meghan’s concern in 2020 about security removal, emphasizing the importance of security in the face of public scrutiny and past family experiences.