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Mike Tapp MP is a former intelligence analyst who served three operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan

Former Home Office minister Mike Tapp has urged officials to "get on with it" and make a quick decision on Prince Harry's police protection, in an exclusive interview with GB News' Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have started their new life in the UK in a secret location in England, and their two children are due to enrol in a British prep school next week.

The current provision provided by the State to King Charles's youngest son is a police liaison telephone number; his security was downgraded when he chose to step back from official royal duties in 2020.

Mike Tapp MP, who is also a former intelligence analyst that served three operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, warned the risk to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could increase as they establish predictable routines in Britain, including the school run and attending public events.

Ravec, the Home Office committee that decides the level of taxpayer-funded protection an individual is entitled to receive, is understood to be assessing the latest Risk Management Board report, which warns of specific threats and risks against individuals.

Mr Tapp told GB News: "I would urge them to make a prompt decision on this. It has to be independent, and it has to look at the evidence.

"Is there a threat to Prince Harry and his family? And it has to stand up to scrutiny if it is denied. Because if something happens [to Harry], that has to be, and will be, looked at.

"I have absolutely no doubt about that. But the reason I say it needs to be quite prompt is because now that they're in the country, they will start setting patterns. For example, taking the kids to school and leisure and social activities, which actually increases the threat further."

The MP for Dover and Deal decided not to comment on the suggestion that Civil Service incompetence or excessive red tape was to blame for the apparent delay in a decision, but added: "I don't know what sort of workload they have. I didn't oversee. It wasn't within my responsibility or portfolio, but I would say get on with it."

Prince Harry is likely to face an "enduring threat" because of his continuing royal status, according to Mike Tapp, and as a high-profile war veteran.

The Duke of Sussex served two tours of Afghanistan, and claimed to kill 25 Taliban fighters in his memoir Spare.

Mr Tapp said: "He's the son of the king. He's one of the most recognisable faces in the world. And of course, he's a high-profile veteran. So all these things need to be considered carefully so that when there's a decision, and if that decision is to not provide him with security, it has to stand up to scrutiny."

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Challenged on why the Duke of Sussex cannot continue with paying for his own private protection, the former minister said private security cannot carry weapons, and lacks access to crucial intelligence.

Speaking on a GBN Original Inside the Palace special, he said: "Private security is completely different to what the state can offer. It doesn't have access to state tools, you know, looking at things like fixated threats. There's a specific unit that the police can tap into to ensure they understand that fully.

"There's also, of course, the intelligence that is gathered on threats. And I think actually, most importantly, is the ability to carry some sort of weapon, which is a force multiplier when it comes to defending an individual. Private security simply can't do that, not even a baton."

The MP was asked whether legislation should be pushed through Parliament to allow private security officers to carry weapons to avoid an extra policing cost to the taxpayer.

Mr Tapp rejected the idea, stating: "I think the problem with the private security is its environment. It is so vast that legislating for anyone to carry a weapon is probably not the right approach. Let's leave that to the police who are trained to use that sort of defence."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's popularity has plummeted since Megxit, and a recent poll suggested two-thirds of the British public believe the couple should not be granted taxpayer-funded protection.

Reacting to the perceived public mood, Mr Tapp said: "This sort of protection is not based on the wealth of an individual. It's based on the risk and threat that they face.

"And I do seem to remember that he did offer to pay, but that doesn't fit in with the system. You can't be buying state security. It doesn't work like that. It has to be based on the threat that they that they are facing."

Lawyers for Prince Harry have contacted the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, urging her to intervene in Ravec's process.

Mr Tapp believes Ravec should remain "independent" without interference from elected politicians.

The Home Office previously said its protective security was "rigorous and proportionate" but has a "long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security".

Watch Mike Tapp's full interview with Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker on GB News' YouTube channel.