As a working royal, the Duchess of Sussex received “disgusting and very serious” threats, according to the outgoing assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Neil Basu stated that he would understand if Meghan felt “constantly threatened.”
Those responsible for the threats have been prosecuted, he told Channel 4 News.
Prince Harry, who relocated to California with Meghan in 2020, stated last year that he did not feel safe in the United Kingdom.
The pair have frequently discussed how the abuse they endured before leaving damaged their mental health. After the couple’s relationship became public in 2016, Prince Harry published a statement condemning social media trolls for targeting Meghan.
Neil Basu, the former head of counter-terrorism policing in England, gave his final interview as assistant commissioner to Channel 4 News.
“If you’d seen the material that was written and received it, the kind of speech that’s online, and you didn’t know what I know, you’d always feel threatened,” he said.
When asked if Meghan had been the target of serious threats from the far-right, he added: “Absolutely.
“We had teams looking into it. Individuals have been prosecuted for making these threats.”
He stated that he had previously talked publicly about the prospect of “extreme right-wing terrorism,” claiming that it was the “fastest-growing” threat he faced.
“In 2015, when I began working in counter-terrorism, it comprised roughly 6% of our entire workload. Before my departure 15 to 16 months ago, it comprised roughly 20% of our workload.”
Mr. Basu, the most senior officer of color in the United Kingdom, was also in charge of royal protection.
He joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 1992, rose through the ranks, and has been outspoken over the years concerning racism and policing.
He said, “I speak about race because I know something about it, as a mixed-racial man of 54 years.”
During his interview, Mr. Basu also criticized the administration, stating that he found “certain Home Office statements incomprehensible.”
He was questioned over Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s statement that it was her “goal” to have asylum seekers deported to Rwanda by government policy.
“It is unfathomable to hear such strong leaders speaking in a language that my father would recall from 1968. It is horrible.”
In reaction to his remarks, a spokesperson for the Home Office stated: “The Home Secretary expects the military to have zero tolerance for racism in the workplace.
“However, the Home Secretary is also quite clear about the need to successfully manage our borders and have a functioning asylum system for those in real need, as are the people of the United Kingdom.”
In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex resigned as senior members of the Royal Family to pursue their careers in the United States.
After quitting the Royal Family, Meghan disclosed in an Oprah interview that she had suicidal thoughts while serving as a royal.
