HARRY and Meghan have been told they CANNOT have private armed security guards on their first trip to Europe since Megxit.
The Duke of Sussex is suing the British government after his taxpayer-funded Met Police armed guards were removed when he quit royal duty.
In High Court papers the duke says he “does not feel safe” in Britain without armed security and says the decision is “unlawful and “unfair” Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, are believed to have armed protection in the US but are not allowed to use them when they come to Britain.
Last night Dutch authorities said Harry and Meghan’s private close protection officers cannot be armed if they travel to Holland for the Invictus Games this weekend.
The couple are due to be at the opening ceremony in The Hague on Saturday.
The Dutch royal family are expected to attend the games but Harry and Meghan will not be staying at their palaces and there will be no official reception for the duo.
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Harry and Meghan are believed to employ armed security from A-list bodyguards to the stars Gavin de Becker when they are in America.
Asked if private guards are allowed to carry weapons in the Netherlands, police spokeswoman Anna Sophia Posthumus said: “No, in the Netherlands only government officials (police, military personnel etc) are allowed to carry weapons”.
They will be joined by a Netflix film crew for a documentary as part of their £112million deal with the streaming giants.
He pulled out of a Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey last month.
Harry is expected to make a speech at the opening ceremony on Saturday.
King Willem-Alexander and Princess Margriet will attend the seven-day games for wounded soldiers at The Hague’s Zuiderpark.
But there will be no official royal reception or red carpet for the couple.
A spokesman for the Dutch Royal family said: “King Willem-Alexander and Princess Margriet will attend the Invictus Games. The Princess will be present at the opening ceremony on April 16th, the King at the closing ceremony on April 22nd.” Meghan has not been in the UK since she flew to Canada just hours after the Commonwealth Day ceremony at Westminster Abbey in March 2020.
Harry has returned for the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral and unveiling of Princess Diana’s statue last year.
