How Prince Charles protected Camilla before their marriage
Prince Harry has now been advised to follow his father's example
Prince Charles protected Duchess Camilla before their marriage by employing retired police officers, a palace source has revealed.
- Prince Charles privately paid 'retired' officers to be Duchess Camilla's security before they married, according to royal sources.
- Prince Harry, who is currently refusing to return to the UK over a security conflict, has now been urged to do the same.
- In other royal news, Zara and Mike Tindall confuse Australian interviewer with tropical background.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall may currently enjoy round-the-clock security, but it hasn't always been that way.
Camilla Parker Bowles was not entitled to police protection until she married into the Royal Family in 2005, despite having been in a public relationship with Charles since 1999.
It's understood that the future King, concerned for his high-profile partner's safety, decided to fund her security privately instead—an idea that has now been recommended to relieve Prince Harry's fears over lack of protection for Meghan and his children in the UK.
According to an unearthed Guardian article from 2002, Charles hired "two full-time security staff" to protect Camilla, paying for their services out of his own pocket rather than the royal protection budget. It has since been revealed that these two guards were retired PPOs (Police Protection Officers).
"These elite ex-officers know all the protocols and could liaise with active protection officers," royal expert Russell Meyers said on Twitter.
He then suggested that the Duchess of Sussex take a similar approach to protecting his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children on his next visit to Britain. Prince Harry has offered to personally pay for his family's security in the UK but is reportedly determined to have the Scotland Yard police, rather than retired officers, do the job.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
"If Harry wants 'Scotland Yard' protection when he comes to the UK why doesn’t he pay the going rate for a retired S014 PPOs [police protection officers] like Charles did for Camilla for years before they married," Russell added.
Prince Harry is now threatening to sue the Home Office for refusing to allow him to pay for Scotland Yard security. The conflict has shed doubts over reports that he would fly back to London for a long-awaited Royal Family reunion at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this summer.
Meanwhile, the Duke's legal representative has released the following statement:
"Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life. He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats.
"While his role within the institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home."
Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.
Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.
-
32 of the best 90s style icons, from Julia Roberts to Kate Moss
From Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell to Aaliyah and Princess Diana, these stars made the 90s the most adventurous and stylish decade in fashion
By Sagal Mohammed Published
-
Is Gracepoint the same as Broadchurch? Everything you need to know about the David Tennant dramas
Here's what you need to know about Gracepoint, the crime series starring David Tennant that's rather similar to Broadchurch
By Laura Harman Published
-
The most romantic moments between King Charles and Queen Camilla - from candid pictures to sweet anecdotes about their relationship
King Charles and Queen Camilla's love story has not been without its bumps, but there's no denying the pair have had some real fairy tale moments...
By Jack Slater Published
-
The Royal Family's bizarre sandwich rule to protect King Charles
The Royal Family reportedly have a very unusual rule when it comes to sandwiches and it's all to do with a surprising superstition
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Who was Thomas Kingston? Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband dies aged 45 as King Charles and Queen Camilla release statement
Lady Gabriella's husband Thomas Kingston has been described by King Charles and Queen Camilla as a 'much-loved' family member
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Prince Harry ‘adamant’ he wants Prince Archie and Lilibet to return to UK - but Meghan is ‘apprehensive’
Prince Harry is reportedly 'very keen' for Prince Archie, Lilibet and Meghan to join him and 'show a united front' on an upcoming UK trip
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
King Charles's unusual nickname for Meghan Markle that reflected his true opinion of her
The King is said to have given a unique but telling nickname to Meghan Markle
By Caitlin Elliott Published
-
These are the royals' favourite holiday destinations, from the Bahamas to Botswana
Want to know how the other half vacations? These are the royals' favourite holiday destinations...
By Lauren Clark Published
-
King Charles has 'trained himself' to keep going with 'work, work, work' mentality despite cancer treatment
The King's secret to staying strong amid his cancer treatment is his 'work, work, work' mentality, according to a royal photographer
By Caitlin Elliott Published
-
Why Lady Louise won't become a working royal despite King Charles's 'thin on the ground' monarchy
Lady Louise Windsor probably won't become a working royal for these very understandable reasons, according to a royal expert
By Emma Shacklock Published