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Meghan Markle's protection 'powerful issue' for Prince Harry, Internet says Princess Diana 'would be proud'

Many are praising the fact that the Duke of Sussex has his wife's back

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey on Sunday, March 7, led many to praise the fact that the Duke of Sussex had his wife's back in a way that Prince Charles did not when it came to Princess Diana. However, allegations that Diana had "no protection" despite her global status have been debunked because she reportedly rejected the security herself after her divorce from Charles.

According to a divorce deal, which had been sealed mainly on the terms Diana had asked for, she was awarded the lump sum of £17 million ($26 million) and an annual stipend of £400,000 ($625,000).

Diana's former former protection officer, Ken Wharfe, who looked after her for six years, said he tried to dissuade Diana from renouncing all of her royal bodyguards after the divorce. 

“Whatever you want to do, you will always be Diana, Princess of Wales... The one thing that you shouldn’t give up is your security. I strongly urge you not to do so," Wharfe claimed he told Diana while speaking in 2017 NBC documentary, ‘The Life and Death of Princess Diana’. However, Diana wanted her freedom and disbanded most of her royal staff herself.

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Here is a list of all the privileges she lost after her divorce: 

Her royal title

After tying the knot with Prince Charles in 1981, Diana was given the title of Her Royal Highness. Apparently, Queen Elizabeth wanted Diana to retain her royal title after the divorce, but Prince Charles fought against the decision and voted that she keep the title as the Princess of Wales. 

It was reported that then-14-year-old Prince William comforted Diana by promising to give her the title back one day when he became king. However, the day never came as Diana tragically passed away a little over a year after the split. 

Travel budget, staff and royal protection

When she was a member of the Firm by marriage, Diana was allowed a large travel budget and police protection. Wherever she went, she was given her own security team that ensured her personal safety at all costs.

Post her divorce deal with Charles, she got to keep her residence and have her office at Kensington Palace. She was also not prohibited from a public role, though her foreign trips, unless they were private holidays, would have to be signed off on by the Foreign Office and the Queen, according to Vanity Fair. 

However, Diana used police protection only when she attended public events and was carrying out royal duties, the article said. She downsized her Kensington Palace staff, which she reduced to cleaner, cook, and dresser, and her butler Paul Burrell.

Burrell began playing the roles of a personal assistant, driver, delivery service, confidant, and “crying towel" for the princess. In his memoir 'The Way We Were how Diana', Burrell reinforced her break with married life by stuffing a heavy-duty garbage bag with a set of Prince of Wales china and then smashing it with a hammer. “Make a list of everything we need,” she told Burrell. “Let’s spend a bit more of his money while we can!”

The man she loved and other friends

Diana’s divorce also caused her to lose out on the love of her life, Dr. Hasnat Khan. The two met in 1995 and their romance was so strong that Diana considered moving to his home in Pakistan. However, media scrutiny regarding Diana reached an all-time high as her relationship with Charles fell apart. Diana’s popularity was a major factor in their decision to part ways.

The pressures of the divorce also led to a rift between Diana and Gianni Versace. Versace’s coffee-table book, 'Rock and Royalty,' in which Diana is credited as a co-author played a major contributing factor in the breakdown of their friendship. It also led to Diana and Elton John, who was also a coauthor of the book, briefly growing apart although they did reconnect after Versace's death. 

Praise for Harry

Following the explosive interview on Sunday, People on Twitter started praising Harry for choosing to protect Meghan against all the negative publicity. "Prince Harry is protecting his wife the way he wishes someone protected his mother," one tweet said.

A third remarked, "Meghan: 'Greater than any fairytale that you’ve ever read. . . I think [Harry] saved all of us. He ultimately called it. He made a decision that saved my life and saved all of us. But you need to want to be saved.' #OprahMeghanHarry"

One more quipped, "This couple was always going to change the world for the better and it's still just beginning. Harry and Meghan being honest, brave but still protecting family members they love was one of the best interviews I've ever seen. I don't think anyone but @Oprah could have done this." Another noted, "Interesting. Being born to such a huge obligation, in exchange for a gilded cage, could make anyone unhappy. Harry seems to have an acute view of the impacts of it all, given his mom’s experience with the Firm and the tabloids. He seemed sincere in protecting Meghan from it all."

The next said, "I have to think Diana would be proud of Harry for supporting Meghan and protecting her. (I was bigtime Team Diana back in the day.)". Another quipped, "Also can we just give Harry a round of applause for refusing to let Meghan get torn apart like Diana and protecting his family?" One more noted, "Watching Meghan bear her soul reminds me of Diana’s interview. I adore Harry for protecting his wife. ADORE." A person reacted with, "Diane is beaming with pride and protecting Harry, Meghan, and their growing family. #HarryandMeghanonOprah"

Updated: A previous version of the article claimed Diana was stripped of her security and had "no protection" after her divorce was finalized. However, according to many official sources, Diana was indeed offered a security detail, but she herself refused it, using police protection only when attending public events.