Prince Harry has come under fire from British politician Daniel Kawczynski, who is calling for a public inquiry into the Duke of Sussex's use of UK taxpayers' money. Kawczynski, a senior Conservative MP representing Shrewsbury and Atcham, criticized Prince Harry for allegedly costing UK taxpayers over £500,000 while residing in the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle.
In an interview with GB News, Kawczynski accused the royal couple of "abandoning our nation" and suggested that they are primarily focused on securing lucrative commercial contracts for themselves. He argued that a review is needed to determine whether taxpayer funds should continue to support Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
"I believe we should review whether taxpayers' money from hard-working families should be afforded for them [Harry and Meghan], which it still continues to be," Kawczynski said. He also praised Queen Camilla for her tireless work in support of King Charles III and suggested that she represents the type of royal the country should be backing during these challenging times.
The controversy stems from Prince Harry's legal action against the Home Office over a 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec). The committee ruled that Prince Harry should receive taxpayer-funded security while in the UK with his family. According to a Freedom of Information request, Prince Harry spent £180,000 on barristers, £230,000 on Government Legal Department costs, £2,300 on court costs, and nearly £10,000 on e-disclosure related to this legal action.
Despite stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020 and relocating to the US, Prince Harry has argued that he and his family were treated unfairly, leading to "unlawful" treatment. Current rules require Prince Harry to provide authorities with at least 30 days' notice before visiting the UK, allowing each trip to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Conservative MP Kevin Foster also weighed in on the issue, stating, "Prince Harry wanted to be free of royal duties to pursue his own career, so it's time to cut the link to funding from His Majesty's treasury for his costs. He chooses to pursue a different path for his life, and taxpayers should not have to fund it."
As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether Prince Harry will respond to these criticisms or if a public inquiry will indeed be launched to investigate the use of taxpayer funds by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
