Radio 4 segment failed to include vital responses from the Home Office and Palace to Harry’s ‘stitch-up’ remarks.
The BBC has publicly admitted to a “lapse in our usual high editorial standards” after failing to include key statements from the Home Office and Buckingham Palace in its coverage of Prince Harry’s recent interview. The omission occurred during Saturday’s edition of Radio 4’s Today programme, which discussed the Duke of Sussex’s reaction to his legal defeat over security provisions while in the UK.
The controversy centres around a BBC News interview aired on Friday, in which Prince Harry branded the outcome of his court case a “good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up.” The following morning, the Today programme featured an interview with security expert Richard Aitch, who echoed Harry’s accusations without challenge or counterpoint.
According to the BBC’s Corrections and Clarifications page, the programme failed to meet its usual journalistic standards by not including responses from the Home Office—the government department responsible for royal protection—and Buckingham Palace.
“The programme covered the latest developments in the story of Prince Harry and his legal case around protection for him and his family in the UK and interviewed former close protection officer Richard Aitch to get a broader understanding of security considerations,” the BBC stated. “Claims were repeated that the process had been ‘an establishment stitch-up’ and we failed to properly challenge this and other allegations.”
In a belated correction, the broadcaster included the Home Office’s response, which said:
“We are pleased that the court has found in favour of the government’s position in this case. The UK government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our longstanding policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
The BBC also acknowledged it had not shared Buckingham Palace’s statement, which said:
“All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”
The omission drew criticism for giving Prince Harry’s claims and Aitch’s support of them disproportionate weight, potentially misleading listeners about the wider context. Aitch, director of operations at private security firm Mobius International, told the programme he was “shocked but certainly not surprised” by the court ruling and argued that decisions about protection should focus on “risk and threat” rather than “legal argument.”
Speaking after the BBC’s clarification was published, Aitch stood by his comments. Posting on social media platform X, he wrote:
“There should not be any need to apologise BBC News for opinion-based interviews. Absence of a threat and risk assessment on Prince Harry where the focus is on legal process influenced by the recommendations of a committee that is not independent, it defines ‘stitch up’.”
The BBC’s admission comes amid heightened scrutiny over its handling of royal stories, particularly those involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have frequently criticised UK institutions and media practices.
Prince Harry’s court defeat, upheld by the Court of Appeal, marked the latest development in his ongoing battle for police protection while in Britain. The government has argued that its system for assessing royal security is fair and consistent, while Harry insists that he and his family face unique threats not fully accounted for by the current arrangements.
Though the BBC’s editorial lapse is unlikely to result in formal regulatory action, the incident has reopened debate over how UK broadcasters balance high-profile interviews with the obligation to ensure accuracy and fairness.
