Prince Harry should “consider a restraining order” banning a stalker who has made multiple attempts to get in close proximity to him, a security expert told Newsweek.
The Duke of Sussex testified before a High Court judge last week and attended in person four days in a row as he supported the six other claimants suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, alongside him.
That case is about historic allegations of phone hacking and other illegal practices dating back to 2001 to 2013 but as the harrowing evidence played out in court, another drama unfolded in the public gallery.
Also watching the evidence was a woman who has a track record of turning up in person during Harry’s visits to the U.K, according to The Telegraph, and the prince’s security team feels they are powerless to stop her without intervention by the police.
Why It Matters
So concerned has Harry’s team become that she is rapidly becoming the centerpiece of his appeal for the return of his Metropolitan Police protection team, which was stripped from him in 2020, after he quit the palace.
Harry says it is unsafe for him to bring Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, back to the U.K. without a guarantee of police protection.
What to Know
Alex Bomberg, the chief executive of private security firm Intelligent Protection International, told Newsweek: “He probably should consider a restraining order.”
Bomberg acknowledged that such decisions can be complicated: “The way they’re probably looking at it is they probably don’t want to inflame the situation.”
A source close to Harry’s security, offered anonymity so they could speak freely, suggested the better solution would be to return Harry’s police protection team.
The source noted that the woman in question was known to the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC)—a joint police and health unit in the U.K. that assesses and manages the risk posed by stalkers to public figures—and the Metropolitan Police Royalty and Specialist Protection Command [RASP].
“The more interesting question here is why, given she was/is known to FTAC and RaSP, wasn’t she removed from court by them?” the source said. “Answer: because there was no police presence in court.
“Restraining orders are an element/part of the tools they can deploy against fixated threats, but they are often not enforceable because of mental health issues. That’s why FTAC is operated as a specialist joint unit between the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service] and the NHS [National Health Service].”
Bomberg has previously told Newsweek that he does believe Harry’s police protection team should be reinstated on visits to Britain.
What People Are Saying
Alex Bomberg, CEO of private security firm Intelligent Protection International, told Newsweek: “Yeah but you can have fixated persons and that’s now the problem. I would say with fixated persons it’s a very, very fine line.
“You’ve got to be very careful until they then cross a line where you can legally properly get them, bang to rights, then you’ve got to be very careful. I imagine they’re probably, you know, trying to be very, very, very careful and they’re trying not to draw attention to it too much.”
What Happens Next
The U.K. Home Office is currently conducting an updated assessment of the threat posed to Prince Harry while he is in Britain, the results of which are not yet known.
Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.