EXCLUSIVE Prince Harry and Meghan will enjoy cruise along the Rhine during visit to Dusseldorf for Invictus Games event tomorrow where they will be protected by team of privately funded bodyguards
- Privately hired bodyguards will join the Sussexes on day-long trip to Düsseldorf
- Local police class visit as ‘private’ and will only offer protection at three events
- Couple are attending an event to mark one year until start of the Invictus Games
Prince Harry and Meghan will be protected by a team of privately hired bodyguards that they have paid for themselves during their day-long visit to Düsseldorf where they will enjoy a cruise down the Rhine.
Bodyguards who accompanied the couple to Manchester will be by their side in Germany along with a small team of local security staff.
Security has become an issue for Prince Harry and he is suing the Home Office over not being given police protection when he visits the UK.
Police in Düsseldorf have classed the visit as ‘private’ and will only offer protection at three events mostly to monitor crowd control.
Roadblocks will be put in place at busy road junctions to allow their convoy of cars to speed from the airport to the city centre rather than be caught in traffic queues.
The Sussexes pictured at the Invictus Games in the Hague, the Netherlands, in April this year
The couple will enjoy a short river cruise on the Rhine (pictured) as part of their day-long visit to Düsseldorf on Tuesday
Police will be responsible for controlling the entry of traffic close to the historic town hall where they meet local dignitaries and later at the sports stadium where next year’s sports event will be held.
Harry and Meghan could come into contact with members of the public on a short cruise they will take down the Rhine.
It is here that local security guards will be on duty to make sure no one gets too close to the couple.
Harry and Meghan are expected to take a 30-minute cruise along the Rhine.
It will also be the only real opportunity locals will get the chance to see the couple as the events at the town hall and stadium are by invitation only.
With less than 24 hours before Harry and Meghan arrive there were no security measures visible in the market square where they will enter the town hall.
The only sign of activity was a window cleaner polishing the ground floor windows of the building.
Unlike in Manchester, there was no ‘ring of steel’ being prepared for the visit.
Most locals sitting at cafes around the market square were unaware that the couple were even due to visit.
Police sources have made it clear Prince Harry was coming to Düsseldorf as a ‘private person’.
‘This is something he has initiated,’ said the source.
The source added: ‘The policing will be very low key. He is here as a private individual but he is a guest of the city and we want to make sure he feels safe.
‘There is no restriction on use of private bodyguards’
In the Netherlands earlier this year at the Invictus Games, a team of five bodyguards flew in from the US and were led by former Secret Service agent Christopher Sanchez.
He was from Houston, Texas, and part of the Touchstone Global company that provides security at major sporting events.
A spokesman for the company refused to comment on the visit to Germany.
Meghan has also been seen with Alberto Alvarez as her personal bodyguard.
He formerly worked as head of security for the late ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson.
The couple fly into Düsseldorf late morning on Tuesday and will be driven to the town hall to be greeted by the city’s Mayor Stephan Keller.
Harry will sign the city’s Golden Book, a leather-bound volume where all visiting VIPs sign their name.
The Duchess of Sussex smiled back as they headed to Manchester for her speech on gender equality on Monday
The couple left in a convoy of Range Rovers ahead of the first leg of their European tour, which will take them to Manchester, Dusseldorf and then back to London
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle go into a side entrance of London Euston on Monday as they travel up to Manchester
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle go into a side entrance of London Euston on Monday as they travel up to Manchester
He will attend a lunch reception before travelling to the Merkur-Spiel arena where They will meet competitors taking part in next September games as well as the organisers of the event.
Harry will make a speech celebrating the games and its power to heal those affected by combat.
A press conference will be held but Harry is not expected to answer any questions.
It is believed the pair will fly back to London in the evening rather than stay in Germany.
They have a ‘free day’ on Wednesday before attending the WellChild event in London where Harry will make a speech.
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