Meghan and Harry will struggle to get privacy in LA, claims ex-protection officer: 'It's not an ideal choice'
A former royal protection officer has declared that Prince Harry and Meghan might be in for a challenge when it comes to finding privacy while living in Los Angeles.
“I think a lot of it will depend on how they actually engage with people, both in terms of the ordinary person in the streets and the media, and how much access they allow with that,” Simon Morgan told Us Weekly on Thursday, June 4. “The more you withdraw, the more people want to know what you’re up to. It just becomes a fascination.”
“Harry, you know, he is still a senior member of the British Royal family. Both in terms of … bloodline and position, or maybe not entitled at the moment," he continued. "So, therefore, there is still a fascination around that, certainly with the [former] duchess, you know. If she does go back to work in that particular sector, then there will always be an interest in what she’s doing, because it would be part and parcel of the very nature of what she’s doing.”
According to the former royal employee, it is always the protection team's job to ensure their clients are able to lead the lifestyle they choose while being protected at all times.
Morgan said the move was a rather surprising decision on the part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
“They were very much [in] a secure environment where they were, you know, they had kind of a regular routine and a footprint there and obviously various levels of support. It, kind of was a withdrawal,” he explained. “But then, you know, to make the move to LA kind of puts you very much in the spotlight.”
“The whole nature of that kind of environment is 24/7. It’s constant, you know? So I think, yeah — from a protection perspective, you know, it’s not an ideal choice. But there again, you know, people want to lead their lives and you as the protection team just have to work around that," Morgan added.
Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, stepped back from royal duties in January and confirmed that they would split their time between North America and the UK. They were living in Canada until their royal roles officially concluded in March. However, they soon settled in LA later that month along with 13-month-old son Archie.
According to reports, they are currently living in Tyler Perry's mansion — and there have been multiple reports suggesting security concerns considering drones fly over the property. The $18 million home boasts of eight bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and is located on 22 acres on top of a hill in the exclusive Beverly Ridge Estates guard-gated community.
A source previously told Us Weekly how Harry “wasn’t expecting to be faced with so many obstacles” after moving to California.
“[Prince] William’s advised Harry to return to London or move elsewhere, somewhere safer,” the insider reportedly said of the royal siblings, who are back on speaking terms after their rumored rift. “He’s concerned about his brother’s well-being and safety."