Prince Harry annoys royal biographer over claim he is in 'direct line' to throne

Prince Harry used his royal heritage to petition for police protection for himself and his family while in the U.K. But one royal expert does not find his reasoning relevant especially since he no longer works for the British monarchy.

The Duke of Sussex is in a legal battle with London's Home Office over a government ruling that prevents him from personally paying for his and his family's security while they are in the U.K. He argued that he does not feel comfortable bringing his wife Meghan Markle, and their children, Archie, 2, and Lilibet, 8 months, to his home country without ensuring their safety first.

He cited one instance during his visit to London in July last year when he was chased by photographers after leaving a charity event. He said he does not want this to happen to his family, who have so far been living a private life in Santa Barbara, California.

According to royal expert Angela Levin, the 36-year old cannot use his royal line to turn over the ruling. This did not sit well with her and she made her feelings known in an interview with LBC.

She said, "What annoyed me incredibly is he said he was in the immediate line of succession. Does he really think he's got a chance to be king when he behaved like this?"

Levin, who wrote "Harry: A Biography of a Prince," even urged Queen Elizabeth II "to stand up to it." She suggested that the 95-year old remove her grandson as a Counselor of State.

"I think she's got to stop him being the Counselor of State and that means when she can not manage or unwell, they become stand-ins." She explained that with Prince Harry being a member, he gets to "go to meetings and sign documents" on behalf of the British monarch.

There have been disputes among royal experts on whether the Duke of Sussex should serve as a Counselor of State given that he no longer works for the royal family. He has also been living in the U.S.A. since 2020.

As for Prince Harry's request to privately fund his and his family's police protection, it seems it may be irrelevant. The Home Office argued that Scotland Yard "is not available on a privately financed basis."