‘Fortress’ for Meghan in terror alert
PRINCE Harry and Meghan have turned their country bolthole into a fortress over fears they could be targeted by terrorists.
Residents said “heavy security measures” had been put in place since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rented the property as a romantic retreat.
Police with sub-machine guns have been drafted in to protect the secret hideaway in the Cotswolds.
Officers in combat gear armed with military-style firearms have reportedly stopped and searched anyone caught wandering near the lodge, which is nestled in a wooded area of the north Oxfordshire countryside.
The special operations team is said to be made up of 12 officers working in rotation alongside Thames Valley Police personnel in unmarked armed response 4x4s.
The love nest and surrounding area has been classed as a “protected site” under the 2005 Serious Organised Crime and Police Act.
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It means that trespassers face six months in jail.
Security cameras have been installed and motion sensors now line the driveway at the 18th-century cottage, which sits within an exclusive private estate.
It is feared Harry, 33, could be a target after he served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, where he flew Apache helicopters as British troops fought the Taliban.
The Duke and Duchess have enjoyed quiet weekends at the cottage, before an expected permanent move to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Meghan, 36, is said to be a particular fan of the hideaway and the picturesque views from the large kitchen window.
Neighbours include David and Victoria Beckham, who are friends of the couple and were among guests invited to the wedding.
The cottage is close to classic country pub the Falkland Arms at Great Tew, near Chipping Norton.
Also nearby is the exclusive Soho Farmhouse hotel, spa and members’ club, where Meghan and her closest could Meghan at a garden party last week and Harry during his service in the Army. Above right, the Beckhams and the Falkland Arms friends enjoyed a three-day hen party earlier this year.
The hotel is a favourite with celebrities from Eddie Redmayne to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and with former Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha.
A source said: “All the neighbours were excited when we heard rumours they were coming.
“Although we see more police around now, they are a wonderful addition to the community.
“Meghan, especially, seems on embracing village life.
“They’ve been on romantic dates to the local pub and hidden themselves away at a quiet corner table.
“That said, their security team is usually at a table nearby.”
The Duchess has also been shopping in her favourite designer outlets, such as Net-A-Porter and Burberry, as well as a local Waitrose.
Sources said that a year in Oxfordshire will also allow plenty of time for work to be completed on York Cottage, the Sandringham home in need of extensive renovation that is said to have been earmarked for the couple by the Queen.
It could be the perfect preparation for Californian Meghan to adjust to British country life. intent