Prince Harry has accused the head of Britain's royal protection authority of failing to share intelligence about a 2023 threat from Al-Qaeda. The Duke of Sussex, who previously served with British forces in Afghanistan, sent a letter this month to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood requesting her personal involvement in determining whether his family should receive dedicated police protection. The appeal came days after he returned to the United Kingdom following six years of residence in the United States.
Harry has previously stated that he faces greater risk than his late mother, Princess Diana. He maintains that his family confronts an international threat and has emphasized that Al-Qaeda has publicly called for his killing. On Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to begin a new chapter after their six-year absence.
The letter sent on Harry's behalf alleges that the chairman of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures knew about the Al-Qaeda threat but failed to pass the information to Harry's security team or to American authorities. Individual security decisions are implemented by this committee, which includes representatives from the Home Office, London's Metropolitan Police, and the royal household.
The family is expected to reside in Britain for an extended period, with the Cotswolds region mentioned as the most likely location. Harry and Meghan, who no longer serve as working members of the royal family, left Britain six years ago and relocated to the United States, from where they have criticized the royal institution.
The couple's return was revealed last week, though they have not yet spoken publicly about their plans. Many questions remain unanswered, including whether British taxpayers will fund their security. Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to comment on security arrangements, noting that it is a "private matter."
Harry has previously insisted that it is too dangerous to bring his wife and children to Britain without the protection he once received. According to reports, at least six threats or plots against the Duke from the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, or their supporters have been recorded since 2007.
According to the report, in late 2023 intelligence was passed to the FBI regarding an Al-Qaeda document that referenced an assassination plot against Harry. Additionally, in 2012 a Taliban spokesman announced an operation to kill or kidnap him, and in 2010 threats were made to shoot down his helicopter if he returned to Afghanistan.
A security assessment prepared for Harry's private security firm detailed dozens of threats and plots, noting that five of the six plots originated in Britain. A risk assessment conducted in late July by the government committee has not yet been shared with Harry.
These developments follow Harry's loss in a legal battle against the Home Office regarding his family's security arrangements. Attorney Shaheed Fatima noted that after the committee's 2020 decision not to provide public funding, Al-Qaeda called for Harry's murder and published that "his elimination would please the Muslim community."
