Nearly a decade ago, a senior Taliban leader revealed that there had been plans to capture him. Only Prince Harry's luck saved him.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's tell-all interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey revealed a lot of shocking details about what went on behind the closed doors of the Palace and their lives before and after stepping back as senior royals. Among those details was the information that the Palace had ordered for the removal of the couple's security after they left. And this left the couple astonished and feeling vulnerable. Even the security assigned to Harry was asked to return to the UK after the couple had moved to Canada.
While Meghan shared in the interview that she wrote to the royals requesting that at least Harry be given security, she was told that because they were not working members of the royal family anymore, nothing could be done. But not having a protection detail may be fatal as the Duke of Sussex is among the most "at risk royals," not just because of his station, but because of his Army service, according to Mirror UK.
Security experts confirmed to the outlet that Harry's royal birth meant he was always at the risk of being kidnapped or even worse, but his work on the front line as an Army officer and Apache pilot in Afghanistan put him on the list of top terror targets. Nearly 10 years ago, Qari Nasrullah, a senior Afghan Taliban leader outlined to Mirror UK how they had plotted to take Harry out. “As far as the Mujahideen [holy warriors] were concerned he was just an ordinary soldier who was fighting for America. This is how we view him. He may well be a Prince in Britain, but to us he is merely a common soldier. There were many plans to capture him [Prince Harry] – maybe it was his good luck he managed to escape."
The threat hasn't abated for late Princess Diana's youngest son. Former SAS soldier Bob Craft told the outlet, “As a royal Prince Harry is clearly a target for kidnapping, terrorism and a whole range of threats. But his military service adds to that enormously. He will need some form of security for a long time, particularly as it is known he served in Afghanistan and was known to be a target whilst out there."
Harry's move to America doesn't do anything for the risks against him as he may have to face a wider threat circle than just known terrorist organizations. Ex Parachute Regiment soldier and security expert Paul Biddiss, who is also a military adviser to film directors, said, “Ex special forces soldiers have to be discreet about their identities after they leave because they are obviously under threat. But Harry did not choose to be a threat, he was born into it as a royal. His service, particularly in Afghanistan presents obvious threats from terrorism."
"But in America, as we have seen recently, there are also conspiracy theorists, fringe groups, far right-wing networks, all kinds of armed groups who could be a threat. Harry will need to be protected as he is one of the, if not the most, under threat royals there are. He needs security protection, clearly," he continued.
Another former senior military intelligence officer from the British Army said, “There are a whole range of range of threats facing him in America from armed groups and other networks. But if he has chosen his new life in America it is likely he should foot the bill for his security, which he will definitely need. My recollection is that it would not be the Queen who would allocate how much the UK pays for this, or even makes a contribution but it is the Home Office. That said, he faces a great deal of risk because of what he was born into - add to that his military service in Afghanistan and he is definitely at risk from attack or kidnapping.”
With so many experts saying the same thing, Harry is certainly going to have to ensure that his family, and he especially, is protected. If he isn't, then to imagine what would happen is something no one might want to think about.
References:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-harry-among-most-at-23690113
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/taliban-chief-qari-nasrullah-interview-2340231
Cover image source: Getty Images | Photo by Christopher Furlong
