Prince Harry issued explosive warning – ‘engage brain before opening mouth’
Prince Harry has been criticised by former royal protection officer Dai Davies over his long-running (Image: Getty)
Prince Harry has been told to “engage brain before opening mouth” by the former head of royal protection Dai Davies, after the Duke of Sussex’s recent private visit to the UK, reignited debate over his security demands.
Speaking on the Royals Uncensored podcast with hosts Jo Elvin, Katie Nicholl and Grant Harrold, Davies questioned Harry’s long-running claims that his family cannot safely visit Britain without taxpayer-funded police protection.
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The criticism comes after Buckingham Palace confirmed Harry, Meghan Markle and their children privately reunited with King Charles during a discreet visit to the UK. The family reportedly travelled to Highgrove and later spent time at Althorp without attracting public attention or being photographed.
King Charles privately hosted Prince Harry, Meghan and their children during their recent UK visit. (Image: Getty)
Davies argued the visit demonstrated that the Sussexes could travel safely if they kept their plans private.
“If they came quietly, they could have come in quickly, succinctly, and you and I wouldn’t have known they were there,” he said. He then delivered a blunt warning to the Duke, adding: “I often say engage brain before opening mouth.”
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The former Metropolitan Police officer, who oversaw royal protection between 1994 and 1998, also criticised Harry’s previous public statements about his security, saying the Duke had “taken the biscuit.”
Harry has repeatedly argued that the removal of his automatic UK police protection prevents him from bringing Meghan and their children to Britain, insisting they require round-the-clock security whenever they visit.
However, Davies said he had full confidence in the UK’s protective security system and dismissed suggestions that Harry required armed police at all times.
“I just despair when I hear some of these so-called experts talk about his need for X, Y and Z,” he said.
The former royal protection chief pointed out that armed intervention involving royal protection officers has been extremely rare over the decades. He cited the 1974 attempted kidnapping of Princess Anne as one of the few occasions when an officer drew a firearm while protecting a member of the Royal Family.
Davies also referenced an incident involving Queen Camilla before she became queen, when demonstrators attacked her car. Despite the seriousness of the situation, he noted that officers did not draw their weapons.
Calling Harry’s demands “purely… an ego trip,” Davies said he believed the Duke would receive additional protection whenever intelligence indicated a credible threat.
“If there was an iota of intelligence or information… that he was under more risk… then he would get it. Of course he would,” he said.
Harry has previously challenged the UK government’s decision to reduce his publicly funded security after stepping down as a working royal in 2020, arguing the current arrangements leave his family vulnerable during visits to Britain.
