EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry might have branded the UK unsafe for his family, but the Sussexes’ decision to visit ‘high terror threat’ Colombia makes no difference here, a former royal protection officer says.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are heading to Colombia later this year (Image: Getty)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to “high terror threat” Colombia after branding the UK unsafe won’t make a difference to the Sussexes’ security concerns in Britain, an ex-royal bodyguard has suggested.
Despite the Duke of Sussex’s fears over bringing his family to the country of his birth, Harry and Meghan are set to visit Colombia later this year, even though there is a “high threat of terrorist attack” against British interests and UK nationals in the South American country according to the Foreign Office.
The move prompted criticism from some who have compared levels of safety in Britain with those in Colombia, where the Foreign Office says terrorists are “very likely” to carry out attacks.
But former royal protection officer Simon Morgan told Express.co.uk the Sussexes’ decision to accept an invitation to visit Colombia from the country’s vice-president won’t make any difference to Harry and Meghan’s security in Britain.
Mr Morgan said: “The threat and risk profile in the UK will be vastly different to Colombia. There are different specifics here… You need to look at the two places in isolation and consider the threat and risk profile of each separately. They are two totally different environments.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will visit Colombia later this year (Image: Getty)
He added: “Harry and Meghan have made a choice as private individuals to go to [Colombia]. [Their security] is entirely up to them now and their advisors. It doesn’t change anything [in Britain]… It’s a different scenario. We’re not discussing a permanent security detail with him. I don’t think it changes anything, not from [Britain’s] current position.”
The Duke is contesting a decision to downgrade his security staus in the UK made when he and the Duchess stopped being working royals in 2020.
Harry no longer receives the same level of taxpayer-funded police protection afforded members of the Royal Family, but instead has his security needs arranged on a case by case basis.
Prince Harry’s bid to challenge the Home Office’s decision to downgrade his security was rejected by the High Court in February, but the Court of Appeal said in June it would hear his challenge after an application from the Duke’s lawyers.
The decision over Harry’s security was taken by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which is responsible for the provision of Royal Family members’ security arrangements.
Prince Harry has spoken of his fears about bringing Meghan Markle and their children to Britain (Image: Getty)
Mr Morgan explained that anyone who comes to the UK on an official state visit receives a degree of protection by a dedicated unit, with “everything” thrown into security, including vetting, controlling areas where dignitaries visit and searches.
Much of Harry’s court hearing in February was held in private due to security concerns, but he recently told ITV fears for the safety of his family have prevented him from bringing them to the UK. This includes an attack from a lone individual targeting his family.
His last trip to Britain was in May when the Duke was in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. On that occasion he visited without Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, before jetting off to Nigeria where he and the Duchess carried out a three-day tour.
On the risk profile in Colombia, Mr Morgan said: “Colombia is a beautiful, but also an extremely brutal and complex environment from a security perspective because of not just the drug cartels in and around the country, but also far-left terrorism.
“Certainly in the border regions, kidnapping, murder and exploitation are common currency, even in the capital, Bogotá.”
He explained that Harry and Meghan will be “in good standing” because they’ve been invited by the Colombian government so the state’s military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies will all be charged with making sure the trip goes off without a hitch.
Mr Morgan said: “There would be damage to [Colombia’s] international reputation if something happened. They will put in as much mitigation (against security risks) as they can in a layered security process: vetting people in areas the Sussexes will visit, providing armoured cars I would imagine to be a definite. They would also consider security from the air as well.
“Their itinerary will be published in advance so you lose an element of surprise so there will be a need to improve mitigation and contingencies.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be targeted by Colombian drug cartels or far-left terrorists looking to embarrass the country’s government, according to the security expert, who now works as Director of Operations and Training at security firm Trojan Consultancy.
Mr Morgan warned: “It would be a major coup if a cartel did something to destabilise or cause embarrassment to the Colombian government. It would be extremely embarrassing… From a Colombian perspective, they already live with a heightened level of security. That would have to be increased.”
