Prince Harry’s and Meghan Markle’s bodyguard has been revealed to be a former police officer accused of domestic violence.
Pere Daobry, who worked for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for over a decade, was charged and convicted of strangling his ex-wife until she was nearly unconscious.
However, the man was photographed alongside the Duchess and Duke of Sussex in Windsor earlier this month.
The hulking bodyguard was standing next to a Range Rover that Harry and Meghan got into on September 5 before her speech in Manchester. The couple’s longtime protection officer was also there.
It is not yet clear whether Daobry was paid directly by the Sussexes, who made private security arrangements during their trip to the UK. The former firearms officer is believed to work for a private security company.
However, a source said that Harry and Meghan did not know about the conviction.
“When you consider how outspoken Meghan is on women’s issues it’s quite amazing that a bodyguard with that sort of background has been employed,” the insider told the media.
Meghan, an advocate for women’s rights, has spoken out about domestic abuse. During a visit to South Africa in 2019, she said it was essential to combat the gender-based violence crisis.
Additionally, the couple’s Archewell foundation made a sizeable donation to a domestic violence charity in 2021.
“His wife Sarah went through a really traumatic time with him and I’m sure if Meghan and Harry knew the full story they wouldn’t be at all comfortable with him being employed as their bodyguard,” the source added.
“Pere treated Sarah appallingly and she had to escape through a window twice to get away from him. I really don’t think Harry and Meghan would want someone like him guarding them,” the insider went on.
Daobry’s father confirmed that the person in the photo was his son. However, he declined to provide further details about his conviction or work.
The controversy comes as the Duke of Sussex is embroiled in a dispute with the government over whether the Metropolitan Police should protect his family while in the UK.
