Prince Harry Takes New Step in U.K. Security Battle amid Stalker Incident

Prince Harry made a new request to the U.K. government over his ongoing mission to restore his official security.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, wrote to the new head of security and crime prevention in Britain, Shabana Mahmood, to urge a reassessment of the security risks to him and his family, PEOPLE has confirmed.

The letter was sent before it emerged on Oct. 6 that a female stalker came within feet of Prince Harry on a couple of occasions during his visit to the U.K. last month.

After the stalking episodes emerged, a security source told PEOPLE, “These incidents are not uncommon for members of the royal family. It differs, however, because there was no police presence or close protection — it was left to two staffers from his private office to intervene. This time, they got lucky, recognizing the fixated individual. Relying on luck is not a long-term fix.”

The source added, “He’s the son of the King, brother of the heir, fifth in line to the throne and one of the most famous people in the world. It feels like there is an inevitable foreboding looming over this whole issue.”

The letter represents a new approach for Prince Harry, who has been very publicly campaigning for the renewal of his automatic state-backed security, which was removed in the year after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from frontline royal duties in 2020.

The Home Office oversees the special body that handles decisions over the security of royals, diplomats and VIPS, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC). It is that committee — which has members from the government, the Metropolitan Police and courtiers from the royal household — which requests risk assessments for individuals. It emerged during his failed court battle to overturn the removal of his family’s security that an official full review of the threat to Harry has not been carried out since 2019.

Prince Harry says that without security cover, he is unable to bring Meghan, 44, and their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, to the country of his birth — and says he doesn’t feel safe doing so.

The Duke of Sussex’s battle ultimately led to the courts, but Harry lost his appeal in May. In an interview following the decision, he implied to the BBC that he believed his father, King Charles, could influence matters.

“There is a lot of control and ability in my father’s hands,” he said. “Ultimately, this whole thing could be resolved through him. Not necessarily by intervening, but by stepping aside, allowing the experts to do what is necessary.”

Harry added, “Look at the risk, look at the threat, look at the impact that if anything was to happen to me, my wife or my father’s grandchildren, if anything was to happen to them, look where the responsibility lies.”

The palace has consistently denied that the King, 76, has the power to have Harry’s security reinstated.

After a Sunday Times story on Oct. 12 that said that Harry’s battle over his security was harming any chance of a reconciliation with his father and his wider family, those close to Harry distanced him from claims that he believes his father should intervene.

The issue has been a huge hindrance to any rapprochement with his father, who didn’t feel he could speak to Harry during the legal process, due to being the head of state in whose court Harry was fighting.

With that over, Prince Harry and King Charles did meet during his most recent visit to the U.K. for about 50 minutes at the King’s London residence on Sept. 10. There, Harry gifted his father with a framed picture of Archie and Lilibet.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Earlier this month, former Metropolitan Police officer and ex-member of RAVEC, Neil Basu, told The Telegraph that he “would put the Duke as probably one of the most famous and recognizable and well-known people in the world. Whether you support him or not, that’s the reality for brand Britain. He’s fifth in line to the throne. Do we really want anything to happen to him or his family wherever they are in the world, but particularly when they’re on U.K. soil?”

“So it would seem to me that the discretion that could have been used to protect him has been withdrawn. And if you ask me who withdrew it, I can’t tell you that for sure, because I don’t know. But it seems like an odd decision to have made.”