A security dispute involving Princess Kate Middleton’s family has reportedly angered Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, with a source revealing the couple see the situation as another example of the double standards being applied to them.
The controversy centers on James Matthews, Pippa Middleton’s husband, who is fighting to keep an electric gate installed at their Berkshire property in 2022 after complaints emerged that it was blocking a public road.According to a report by The Telegraph, Matthews, 50, cites the high-profile nature of being one of the royal in-laws as justification for the barrier, arguing that there is a “need for a higher level of security” for himself, his wife Pippa, 42, and their three children, Arthur, 7, Grace, 5, and Rose, 3.
A spokesman for the couple also claimed that the route in question had always been private until an application was made in 2023 to have it recognized as a public route.
Why are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said to be frustrated?
A source close to the Sussex family told Star that Harry and Meghan have no objection to Pippa and James owning the same gate, but they do object to the broader principle at play. The source said: “Harry and Meghan have no problem letting Pippa and James have this gate. If they feel they need protection, they should have it.”
“What infuriates Meghan and Harry is the double standards.”The Sussexes were stripped of their government-funded police details when they stepped down as senior royals in 2020, and Harry has spent years trying to get them back. The source continued: “He was treated as if he was completely off limits and should not dare ask for so-called special treatment.” “However, the palace’s reaction to Pippa and James’ demand for special treatment has been the opposite.
“No one makes a fuss about their exploitation.”
Wider frustration with what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle call double standards
While the nature of Harry’s security request is distinctly different from the property portal, the source said the situation has nonetheless struck a nerve with the couple. “It’s always been one set of rules for Harry and another set for everyone else,” the source said. “Harry and Meghan have noted for ages that the Middleton family seems to be able to write their own rule book. It’s very disappointing but nothing new.”The dispute adds another layer to the ongoing tension between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the wider royal institution, with Harry’s legal battle over police protection remaining unresolved.