Threats were made to Meghan Markle's life, says former head of UK counter-terrorism

Former Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu said people had been prosecuted

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan in October 2018. Getty

Britain’s most senior police officer of colour has disclosed that police had investigated a number of “disgusting” and credible threats against the Duchess of Sussex.

Former Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Neil Basu said that as head of counter terrorism, he had had to deal with a number of “disgusting and very real” threats from the “far right” against the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

“If you’d seen the stuff that was written and you were receiving it, the kind of rhetoric that’s online, if you don’t know what I know, you would feel under threat all of the time,” Mr Basu said.

Asked if there had been real threats to Meghan’s life, he replied: “Absolutely. We had teams investigating it. People have been prosecuted for those threats.”

Prince Harry and Meghan through the years - in pictures

Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City. Getty

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles in April. Getty

The royal couple speak onstage at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala in New York in December 2022. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London in September 2022. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan pay their respects at the Palace of Westminster. Getty

Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. AFP

The Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan meet members of the public outside Windsor Castle. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service of thanksgiving for the queen. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York in September 2021. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world edition, in September 2021. Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Reuters

Prince Harry and Meghan shared this image on social media in February 2021 to announce they were expecting their second child. AFP

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Canada House, London, in January 2020. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019. Getty

Prince Harry, Meghan and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in South Africa in September 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan meet Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z at the European Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, in July 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a photo with the New York Yankees before their baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium in June 2019. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan pose with their newborn son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Getty

Meghan, joined by her mother Ms Ragland, shows her new son to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in May 2019. AP

Prince Harry and Meghan officially open Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizen’s supermarket and community cafe in Merseyside in January 2019. Getty

Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in December 2018. Getty

Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge attend a service marking the centenary of the First World War armistice at Westminster Abbey in November 2018. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in October 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in October 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of the South Pacific in October 2018 in Suva, Fiji. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan address the public during a Community Event at Victoria Park in October 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala during a visit to Taronga Zoo in October 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan arrive at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park during an official visit to West Sussex in October 2018. Getty

The queen, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day in May 2018. Getty

Prince Harry places a wedding ring on his new wife's finger. Getty

Meghan and Prince Harry head to their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people at the Palace in February 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Getty

Prince Harry and his then-fiancee Meghan visit Nottingham for their first official public engagement together in December 2017. Getty

Mr Basu also condemned the “horrific” speech being used by senior politicians of Asian heritage in relation to migrants.

Retiring after 30 years in the Met, Mr Basu said he believed his outspoken views had cost him further promotions in the police.

Asked about comments by Home Secretary Suella Braverman – who is of Indian heritage – saying that it was her “dream” to see asylum seekers removed to Rwanda, he drew a comparison to Mr Powell’s “rivers of blood” speech criticising mass immigration into the UK.

“I find some of the commentary coming out of the Home Office inexplicable,” said Mr Basu, whose father was from India.

“It is unbelievable to hear a succession of very powerful politicians who look like this, talking in language that my father would have remembered from 1968. It’s horrific.

“I was born in 1968. The ‘rivers of blood’ speech happened in the constituency next to where my parents lived and made their life hell. A mixed-race couple walking through the streets in the 1960s. Stoned.

“I speak about race because I know something about race, because I’m a 54-year-old mixed race man.”

Migrant children rescued in French waters - in pictures

Migrants are rescued by crew members of the 'Abeille Languedoc' ship after their boat's generator broke down in French waters as they were trying to cross the Channel illegally to Britain. All photos: AFP

Migrants wait for help in the Channel.

A child is rescued by crew members of the 'Abeille Languedoc'.

The 'Abeille Languedoc' is an ocean-going tug specialising in the rescue of vessels in distress.

Migrant children on the rescue boat.

The 'Abeille Languedoc' has been moored in Cherbourg for 26 years, monitoring the Channel between the Cotentin and the Pas-de-Calais.

Migrants sit on board the 'Abeille Languedoc' after being rescued.

A rescuer carries a child as they disembark from the 'Abeille Languedoc'.

Mr Powell’s 1968 address in Birmingham was widely blamed for heightening racial tension at the time.

Mr Basu, who was earlier rumoured to be taking charge of the National Crime Agency, suggested that readiness to speak out on issues of race may have cost him the job.

“I do know that No 10 has previously interfered in me being appointed to positions, and the reason for that I have not been told,” he said.

“I would surmise — and people who know me surmise — that it is because I’ve been outspoken about issues that do not fit with the current political administration.”

But Mr Basu said that politicians were wrong to ignore such matters, as diversity and inclusion were “two of the most important things for policing” and that there should be “zero tolerance” in the service for those who were prejudiced.

He said he was proud to be “woke” and other officers should be as well.

“Are you alert to issues of racial and social justice?" Mr Basu said. "Yes, I am.

"And if that is the definition of woke, I’ll wear it as a bumper sticker every day of the week.

“And by the way, every serving police officer, let alone a chief constable, better believe that too.

"We serve all of the public without fear or favour, regardless of who they look like, not just the people we like.”

Afghan migrant documents dangerous journey across Channel - video

In response to his comments a Home Office spokesman said: “The Home Secretary expects forces to take a zero-tolerance approach to racism within their workplace.

“But the Home Secretary is also very clear about the need to manage our borders effectively and have an asylum system that works for those in genuine need, as are the British people.

“We are actively pushing for a cultural change in the police, including via a targeted review of police dismissals to ensure officers who are not fit to serve can be swiftly removed.”