Meghan Markle and Harry’s claim Archie stripped of security as he’s not a prince ‘utter nonsense’ – it’s due to low risk

A source said: “Security was a big issue for them because there had been specific threats made against them.”

Met Police travelled with Meghan and Harry when they moved to California in March over fears of their safety, but the security officers were immediately recalled to Britain.

The Duchess also complained to Oprah that a decision taken by Buckingham Palace not to give their son Archie the royal title of prince had prevented him from receiving armed police protection.

A friend of the Sussexes said: “There do appear to be different rules on security when it suits.”

In the bombshell tell-all interview, Meghan described her "pain" as officials denied Archie the title of prince and accused Buckingham Palace of failing to protect him by denying him security.

When asked if it was "important" for Meghan that Archie be called a prince, she said she does not have any attachment to the "grandeur" of official titles.

She said it was about "the idea of our son not being safe" and the idea "the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way."

Simon Morgan, a former royal protection officer, who now runs a private security company, Trojan Consultancy, said: “The government committee on VIP and royal security makes the decision about who does and doesn’t get protection. It is not in the Queen’s gift to give protection or take it away.

“Once Harry and Meghan step down as working royals, they become high net worth individuals/A-list celebrities but that doesn’t entitle them to taxpayer-funded security.

“Elton John has to pay for his own security and so do Harry and Meghan.”

A former senior officer in the Metropolitan Police, involved in royal security decisions, said: “It’s palpable nonsense that Harry and Meghan should have thought they were still entitled to police protection.”

Meghan and Harry now pay for their own protection after moving into their own mansion in Montecito.

STATUS CHANGE

However, there are now fears that Prince Charles will not make Archie a prince when he becomes king, according to reports.

Under the Letters Patent, the child would still be entitled to be an HRH or a prince when Charles accedes to the throne - as he is the grandson to the monarch.

But Harry and Meghan have reportedly been fearful following plans for a "slimmed-down" monarchy, with a greater focus on the direct line of succession.

This comes after the Sussexes' explosive interview with talk-show host Oprah Winfrey earlier this week.

During the interview, Harry said that his mother Princess Diana would have been "very angry" about how the drift from the Royal Family has panned out.

The Duke revealed that his mother - who had her own split from the Firm when he was just a child - only ever wanted her son to be happy.

Prince Harry said during the prime-time bombshell interview with Oprah: "My mum would feel very angry about how this has panned out and very sad.

"Ultimately, all she’d ever want is for us to be happy.

"We didn’t want to turn our backs on the associations and the people we were supporting."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Buckingham Palace, have been contacted for a comment.