David Blunkett says Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should get a ‘limited’ level of royal security
Former home secretary David Blunkett has said Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should be given a "limited", temporary level of security protection as they consider relocating to the UK, with the arrangement subject to review over time depending on the assessed threat level. His remarks come amid a deepening political row over whether taxpayers should fund the couple's protection, which could reportedly cost £5 million a year, with Labour figures split on the issue.
Blunkett suggested a "middle-ground" option of one or two protection officers travelling with Harry, rather than a full close-protection convoy, calling it "perfectly reasonable" on a temporary basis before reassessment in a couple of years. Labour's Dame Emily Thornberry backed providing security given Harry's status as the King's son, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch agreed given his public profile, but Labour peer Lord Foulkes argued it should be a private matter the wealthy couple pay for themselves, a view echoed by Andy Burnham. A decision is thought to have already been reached by the Ravec security committee, with Harry reportedly lobbying Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood directly, while a source suggested the family's UK move could last as little as six months.
- Blunkett proposes limited, temporary UK security for Harry and Meghan.
- Row continues over whether taxpayers should fund £5m annual protection.
- Ravec review reportedly concluded; couple's UK move could be short-term.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties in 2020, after which they lost the automatic taxpayer-funded police protection previously provided to senior working royals. Since then, the level and funding of their security in the UK has been a recurring source of dispute, involving royal protection officers, government ministers and the security committee (known as Ravec) that decides who qualifies for such cover.
The row has resurfaced because the couple are reportedly weighing up relocating to the UK, which has reopened questions about whether, and how much, the state should pay for their protection given Harry's position as the King's son. Former home secretary David Blunkett is one of several political figures to have weighed in, alongside current and former ministers and opposition politicians, reflecting wider disagreement over where responsibility for the couple's safety should sit.
This matters because it touches on public spending, the risks faced by high-profile former royals, and the broader, often strained relationship between Harry and Meghan and the institutions and government of the UK since their departure from royal life.