RAVEC - Prince Harry

[pilates]

Can someone explain to me the procedure and how this works?

Doesn't it, @IcedPurple . Extraordinary.
I think people forget how much terrorism was around in the 70s.

Not to mention Mountbatten being killed by the IRA...

I just cannot see how having a case by case approach for someone who no longer lives in the country is not appropriate. Unless the ultimate aim is 24 hour detailed protection worldwide. Case by case does what it says on the tin. A blanket policy is a nightmare prospect for the state and the reputation of the royal family. In the next 12 to 17 years there could be number 3,4,5,6,7 heirs all wanting 24 hour protection as they decide to swan off around the world selling their souls on instagram while Anne and Charles are still working cutting ribbons.

Harry to me is flogging a dead horse. He has made it clear on multiple occasions he and his wife wanted a life away from royal duties and therefore royal benefits.

Stirring up trouble boasting about his time as a soldier was universally acknowledged to be a reckless and stupid thing to do. Rubbishing his family, the book, kissing and telling - I'm.not surprised he wants royal protection. From the royals? Angry husbands?

Surely if bringing his dc over he will be visiting and staying with royals so the dc get to know their family- his dad and bro have royal protection. Stick with them and don't stand on speakers corner airing dirty laundry. I'm sure there is a spare lounge if they want to invite any friends over.

As regards security. I wonder if the Duke of Windsor had security funded by the state when he lived abroad. But he was an ex Head of State. And I think he seldom returned to the UK

Yep. He got paid a yearly allowance equivalent in today's terms in millions. And no he didn't return to UK (given he was kowtowing to Hitler).

Yes, he was another one who wanted the perks while avoiding the disadvantages!

And very status conscious, from what I have read.

But I don't think the way he was indulged is a good guide - let's face it, he died in 1972, over 50 years ago. And decisions made about his post-war allowance and security would have been made nearly 80 years ago.

He certainly carved out a progressive new role for himself.

Again, everyone is mistakenly referring to what has been written in the papers and discussed on tv about the Taliban passage of the book. He wasn’t boasting at all. He was making a point about sophisticated weaponry.

He may not have been boasting, but he certainly was clear about the fighting and his "kills". I don't think that was necessary, but the whole book was about sharing very personal details.

It's not just what point he was making, it was the way in which he made it.

He did an interview in 2013 where he covered the same ground, and attracted no criticism for it. But he used neither number nor references to chess pieces. I do not think he was well advised at the time of the second description of his time there.

@Roussette

"As regards security. I wonder if the Duke of Windsor had security funded by the state when he lived abroad. But he was an ex Head of State. And I think he seldom returned to the UK

Yep. He got paid a yearly allowance equivalent in today's terms in millions. And no he didn't return to UK (given he was kowtowing to Hitler)."

My understanding is that it is a bit more complicated than that. The RF 'bought' Balmoral off him, which he had inherited (as the direct heir). And, they actually paid for this by giving him an annual allowance, or similar.
Did he get 'paid' when he was Gov General of the Bahamas?

Financially, it appears his house in Paris was provided by the City of Paris for a nominal rent, and he did not have to pay income tax, etc, so there seem to have been some dodgy financial arrangements that kept him out of trouble after the war.

Also, according to Wikipedia, during his short reign as King, security foiled a man with a loaded gun, at Constitution Hill, near Buckingham Palace!!

Yes, he inherited all the personal property such as Balmoral and Sandringham, which George VI then bought off him (and various bits of jewellery, which I think he gave to Wallis). That brought in a lump sum, and he also got an allowance.

But still complained for the res of his life about being badly treated financially!

He returned to the UK for occasional visits.
He's meant to have conned his brother re the allowance, hid a lot of his assets I think and ended up with more than he was supposed to.

Yes, occasional visits. I meant he didn't come back here to live.

He had plenty of money, a lovely home in Paris, freedom from the constraints of being a working royal, and then spent the rest of his life resentful about Wallis not being HRH (and complaining about not having enough money). 😂

"If RAVEC felt the level of threat towards them was such that Harry needed 24/7 security whenever and wherever he was in the UK, he would have it. He doesn’t though So clearly, the level of risk is lower now he’s no longer a working royal. The fact that he and Meghan generate a lot of newspaper comment isn’t what matters here - newspaper attention obviously does not equate to security risk."

And even if it did exacerbate security risk, if they were that worried then Harry and Meghan probably should stop courting worldwide attention and controversy, directly or indirectly slating the RF, racking up court cases airing their dirty laundry left right and centre, and having heavyweight retained PR support to publicise their every move. That's what generates the coverage.

If they stopped all that then the press coverage would significantly reduce almost overnight, and within a fairly short time they could fade into blissful obscurity. And if people didn't know where they were or what they were up to, then no doubt any risk would also be much smaller.

And of course the other thing they could do is give up their titles, not have (very recently) insisted on Prince and Princess titles for their kids and distance themselves from royalty. If it's Harry's proximity to the crown that increases his risk level, then becoming a fully private family with no Royal titles would certainly be a significant help.

But of course, they don't want to do any of these things - if anything the opposite. Which makes it clear that it's all about status and not at all about genuine concern for safety.

One interesting point in this quote:

Harry said. "The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the US. That cannot happen if it's not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil.”

At the moment. Curious thing for him to say if he feels fully settled on raising the children in California.

Even those who have 24 hour armed security their risks are continually being monitored by RAVEC. There is no way that the last two weeks have not heightened the threats against Catherine and the children. As others have said in questioning RAVECs ability to not properly protect Harry in a bespoke manner are questioning their ability to monitor and act against risk factors, for all.

You can't eliminate risk altogether - none of us can. I went shopping with DD yesterday to a high street where a teenager was stabbed and killed a few days ago. I don't know the circumstances or motivation - but let's face it, there have been a number of high profile situations where someone was murdered simply because they were in the worng place at the wrong time.

RAVEC seem to be doing a good job in managing risk, in that we would have heard if someone high profile was killed or injured. And I would guess that there are a number of people/groups actively trying - from lone nutters to organised groups.

@elessar

Wise words 👏

Yes, it is interesting, isn't it?

Hard to know if he's dissembling or not though, in order to (in his own mind) bolster his argument.

Realistically the only way for Harry to reduce his global risk is to reduce his visibility
This would be the best preventative step
If someone wants to target him a few policemen with guns isn’t going to stop a lone shooter because they are in the main reactive to the threat

Im sure someone has told him this but aligning himself with supporting American Military ( Pearl harbour and recent visit ) and to some extent even Invictus is probably raising his threat level and that of his family

that’s on top of his ill advised book comments

I think he doesn’t seem to give any thought to the impact of his own actions to his safety
Thats for someone else to fix

He will become less visible. When William becomes King...hopelly 10 plus years from now no child will realise he has a brother.

Harry seems very like the Duke of W. And let's face it I feel Charles was quite like him too.

Invictus was already starting to get some heat due to the Israeli veterans in Germany. I’m not sure if 14 months will be enough time to settle emotions. He may well and truly end up front page around the world.

Yes, I can see a lot of parallels between Harry and the Duke of Windsor.

Charles, I think, was stuck in the difficult position of being second-in-command for almost all his life - from the age or 4 or 5? until in his 70s. Too prominent to be able to slope off and do his own thing, but never the top spot.