The King has risked further infuriating his younger son after it merged the monarch is likely to pay for Prince Andrew’s private security - a move not afforded to Harry and Meghan.
The Duke of York will lose the privilege of protection from the Met Police which is paid for by the public as he does not perform royal duties.
Instead private security will take over the disgraced prince’s protection at a cost of around £3 million a year which is believed to be paid for by the monarch, the Telegraph reported.
However the move is sure to anger the Duke of Sussex, who lost his taxpayer-funded police security when the couple stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
The issue was discussed by the couple in their bombshell Netflix documentary.
Norman Baker, former Home Office minister and Privy Council member, told the Sun newspaper: “Armed protection has always been a status symbol for the likes of Prince Andrew.
“Of course he should pay it himself and not burden the taxpayer because he is a private individual and carries out no public duties. People like David Beckham pay for their own security so why shouldn’t Prince Andrew?"
He added: “We shouldn’t pay for Andrew’s or Harry’s security or any member of the Royal Family that carries out no public duties.”
Prince Harry has since filed two lawsuits over the decision not to allow him to pay for police protection when he is in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex began a legal challenge against the Home Office in February after his taxpayer-funded security was stripped in 2020 when he stepped down as a working royal and moved to California.
He previously said it was unsafe for him to visit the UK and bring his wife Meghan Markle and children Archie and Lilibet without protection provided by the police.
Earlier this year Harry won the latest stage of his court fight in his initial claim against the Home Office in the High Court over his security arrangements.
The ruling meant he was able to take the case for a judicial review.
Decisions for royal security are made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as Ravec.
The committee is made up of the chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council counterterrorism coordination committee and the director-general of the Homeland Security Group at the Home Office, among others.
The Prince enjoyed round-the-clock protection in the years before he left his working role in the he left working role in the Royal Family in 2020 and moved with his family to the United States.
Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.
