Prince Harry faces a heartbreaking dilemma as a result of the ongoing concerns over his safety in the UK, according to reports.
The Duke of Sussex’s uncle, Lord Fellowes, recently passed away on July 29, aged 82. Lord Fellowes served as Queen Elizabeth II’s private secretary and was married to Lady Jane Spencer in 1978, the late Princess Diana’s elder sister.
Needless to say, his passing is one keenly felt by the Royal Family, Harry included. Yet while all the usual funeral traditions and grieving processes will be observed, the Duke of Sussex is said to find himself in the middle of a rather unfortunate predicament.
It’s no secret that Harry and Meghan Markle’s move to the US drove a wedge between the couple and the Royal Family. Of course, it wasn’t so much the fact that they moved, as it was the cloud of accusations and unrest they did it under.
No sooner had they embarked upon their new, post-royal life, than did Harry and Meghan publicly take shots at the British monarchy, leveling all manner of unflattering allegations.
A lot has happened since then, but the fact remains that Harry’s ties to his family are perilously strained. His relationships with his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William, straddle a knife’s edge, and there’s no real indication things are going to get better in the near future.
Christopher Furlong / Staff
A by-product of Harry and Meghan’s decision to officially step down from their roles in the Royal Family is that they were stripped of taxpayer-funded security in the UK, meaning they now have to fork out cash for police protection while they’re in Harry’s homeland.
Not only that, but Harry reportedly has to notify British officials of any travel plans to the UK at least 28 days in advance. As a result, he won’t be able to return home for the funeral of his late uncle, the aforementioned Lord Fellowes.
It’s said that the Duke of Sussex has been in contact with his aunt, Lady Jane, and his cousins, as well as his Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer.
Certain sources state that Harry is keen to spend more time in the UK moving forward, but that the reality is that logistics relating to potential security issues make that almost impossible.
Earlier this year in February, Harry lost a legal bid to reinstate security for himself and his family. This was only two months after the Prince revealed in a statement that he and Meghan’s departure from the UK had been largely driven by security concerns for his family.
Rest in peace, Lord Fellowes.