Prince Harry ‘Building’ His Own Royal Court to Rival Prince William’s: ‘He’s Been Playing the Long Game’

Game of thrones!

Prince Harry’s bid to reinstate his family’s U.K. security protection is part of a secret plot to challenge his estranged brother, Prince William, 43, Rob Shuter reported in his Naughty But Nice Substack on Wednesday, December 10.

As Star previously reported, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee is reevaluating the threat level against Harry, 41, and wife Meghan Markle, 44, which could lead to reinstated taxpayer-funded protection for the Sussexes. (Harry lost a legal bid to regain security for his family in May.)

“The security decision is just the first domino. Once it’s in place, Harry can quietly expand his influence without anyone really noticing — until it’s too late,” one source told Shuter, with another adding that he’s “carefully” building his own royal court of staffers to reestablish a London base for his family.

“He’s been playing the long game,” one insider told Shuter. “Harry wants legitimacy. He wants to operate in the U.K. on his own terms — meetings, charitable work, high-level engagements — without being treated like a guest in his own country.”

And courtiers fear that even though the Spare author is fifth in line for the throne, his “measured, ambitious, unstoppable” scheme could cause chaos for his brother’s future reign, Shuter added.

“This isn’t about a return to the family,” another royal insider told Shuter. “It’s about competing with them.”