Queen Elizabeth's Role In The Prince Harry Security Debacle Might Be More Complicated Than You'd Think

Since relocating to the United States, Prince Harry nor Meghan Markle and their two kids have visited the United Kingdom much. But now, there seems to be more regarding their absence from Britain than what meets the eye.

Back in early 2020, Harry and Meghan announced they were stepping back from their senior royal duties. Since their shocking departure, the pair have been open about their reason for leaving, citing Meghan's mental health concerns, the press in the United Kingdom, and a lack of support from the family, among other issues.

Yet, while Meghan and Harry no longer wanted to work as senior members, they both have stayed committed to their work overseas, saying they would "remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. ... regardless of official role." But now, that commitment is strained as Harry fights the British government – and his grandmother for that matter — for more security when he returns to his home country.

Since returning to the United Kingdom on a few occasions, Prince Harry has reportedly felt unsafe and in need of more security. In January, Harry sought a judicial review after authorities decided he would not be allowed to pay for police protection while in the United Kingdom. The Duke of Sussex's legal spokesperson explained the lack of security has made it difficult for him and his family to return to Britain and, "while his role within the Institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family." While the government doesn't see the need for added security, Harry reportedly still has hopes his petition will end this situation — one even his family can't get him out of.

While Queen Elizabeth may feel one way personally — it's no surprise that she would want her grandson to feel safe in his home country — royal experts reveal she can't persuade the government to give Harry more security. It seems that this is a situation that's even out of the queen's hands. 

"[It's] hard for her, as a grandmother, to not really be able to intervene," Kristin Contino, a royal expert, told Us Weekly. "She's [not] going to go up against the government and say 'Well, you know, you need to give him security.' Because right now, the metropolitan police [are] saying they've conducted a review and [concluded that] the threat is considered low to him." While Elizabeth may wish for her grandson's safety and want to provide for him, Contino explained, she is "always going to the choose [the] monarch at the end of the day."