Prince Harry is ‘a target for kidnapping, terrorism’

According to a retired SAS officer, Prince Harry is one of the most “at-risk” royals in the world because of his active service.

Prince Harry operated in Afghanistan on two occasions, first as a Forward Air Controller in 2007-08 and then as an Apache Pilot from September 2012 to January 2013.

Former SAS soldier Bob Craft, told the Daily Mirror that Harry was “clearly a target for kidnapping, terrorism, and a whole range of threats.”

“As a royal Prince Harry is clearly a target for kidnapping, terrorism and a whole range of threats

“But his military service adds to that enormously.

“He will need some form of security for a long time, particularly as it is known he served in Afghanistan and was known to be a target whilst out there

The couple's ability to proceed using royal security agents, who are sourced from the Metropolitan Police and provided by the British public, has been challenged. A private protection company must even be hired to provide security.

Simon Morgan, who served as a bodyguard to members of the royal family from 2007 to 2013, is one person who knows the ins and outs of royal security.

Morgan, who now works with private security company Trojan Consultancy as the Director of Operations and Training, said the pair can afford private security. Finding a firm specialized in protecting former members of the royal family, on the other hand, may be difficult, if not impossible.

Morgan claims that the couple cannot afford to be without security.  He said, “I don't believe the threat is going to go away,” he said. “The threat will remain constant.

“There's a peak in people's interest in what the royal family is doing at the moment.

“In regards to political and religious terrorism, the threat remains the same [as before]. However, day-to-day threat in regards to intrusion — whether that be from ordinary people or the media — may increase

Members of the royal family are subjected to intrusion on a daily basis. Prince Harry won a case against Splash News in May of last year, when the agency used a plane to ride above the couple's home and photograph their living space, dining room, and even bedroom.

In 1982, a man managed to break into the Queen's bedroom at Buckingham Palace.

Morgan continued, “I don't believe for one minute they will stop having protection … what that model will look like is difficult to say

“Based on the threat and risk scenario, we have two former senior members of the royal family — people who are internationally recognized.

“They are very well known people, the duke is a war veteran, and you have the threat that could be somewhat heightened now. People's desire to find out what they're doing has increased, and people who wish to do them harm

Since it was announced last year that Prince Charles had been covering their protection bills since they relocated away from the UK – to the amount of AUD $7 million a year – it's believed Prince Harry and Meghan have hired their own private security detail.

In late March 2020, an anonymous source informed the Daily Mail that Charles took on the security expenses because Meghan and Harry couldn't afford it otherwise.

The source said, “They had fully expected that British taxpayers would continue to foot the bill for their protection.

“But then the rug was pulled from under their feet, and they had to ask Prince Charles to step in.