Channel 5’s royal documentary Secrets of the Royal Palace saw many experts discuss the security measures put in place to protect Prince Charles. Due to threats to his life from the IRA, Charles’ security team was able to address security holes at Highgrove and make the palace impenetrable. Royal security expert Ken Wharfe said: “When he purchased it, his house was surprisingly quite close to a main road.
“Anybody at that particular time could have scaled the fence or the brick wall.”
Former royal butler Grant Harrold added: “It was quite open so it was quite easy from the main road to see the property.”
The royal documentary narrator Glynis Barber noted: “How and why did Prince Charles turn his royal palace into Fort Knox?
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“Well, when Prince Charles bought Highgrove in 1980 it was far from secure.
“Charles had good reason to fear for his safety.”
Journalist and royal commentator Susie Boniface reiterated the dangers Prince Charles was in due to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Ms Boniface said: “In the early 80s there weren’t the security risks we have now.
She said: “For a future King, the heir to the throne, now to be living out in the countryside in a relatively open area, obviously, these measures needed to be brought in to protect him.”
The narrator added the royal security forces opted for less obvious forms of security regarding the palace.
She said: “Charles’ team set about rerouting nearby public footpaths and putting in place an aerial exclusion zone.
“They also installed secret security perimeters that would take a trained eye to spot.”
Ms Boniface closed by saying: “There is no big fences, barbed wire or patrolling dogs.
“What you are not aware of is that there are cameras, ground sensor alarms, there are police officers in the permanent police station on the ground and they are getting all kinds of data fed into them.
“They know who is there and who isn’t but you just can’t see them.”
