00:00I can't frankly imagine a bigger security visit than the current one they're doing.
00:05My name is Di Davis. I'm the former operational commander, the OCU commander,
00:10responsible in the past for protecting the entire British royal family, particularly from the HM
00:17Queen and all her relatives and the line of succession, their castles, their palaces,
00:24their travels abroad, you name it. My job was to make sure it happened. You're going into a country
00:31that's at war. As far as I know, I can't remember a member of the royal family visiting a country
00:37who's at war with another country. So that adds to the pressure as well as all the aspects of the
00:45Middle East and the various components who are against America full stop. So it's a huge security.
00:53I can't frankly imagine a bigger security visit than the current one they're doing. And it's
00:59arguable in wartime or a country like America, whether it should have gone ahead. But wiser people
01:06and I obviously decided in the country's interest, it should go ahead. And now we're seeing hopefully
01:11that matters will improve in the relationship, certainly between our politicians. It's a funny
01:18old world where we send people nearly in their 80s to represent us. But that's the structure.
01:24That's where we are. I would have thought perhaps William and Catherine. But again, this president,
01:30he seems to highly regard this king and the queen. And clearly, they are still acting out. Obviously,
01:39they are the king and queen. And they decided, as the government had asked them to actually accompany
01:45him, presumably to try and mend some of the relationships. It'd be interesting to see what
01:51the king says. He's arguably our best diplomat by head and shoulders. And I accept that. But I do think,
01:58what kind of country are we, where we're sending 80 year olds to represent us? But that's just a
02:03personal opinion. Adjustments may have been made, and I hope they're being reviewed. And again,
02:08you'd be looking very carefully at the venues, where they're going. They're going to New York,
02:12and they're going to Virginia. I again would be looking at what, you know, systems and structures using
02:20everything technically that you can from AI for visual recognition of anyone who is known to be a
02:27terrorist, no fly zone. Anything technical and human that you can apply has to be applied for this
02:34visit, for the reasons I've said. The embarrassment factor of anything going wrong would be immense,
02:40both for the United States and ourselves. So it has to be well tried and tested as best as you
02:47can.
02:47And again, look carefully at where anyone can come at you and cause harm to any of the VIPs there,
02:55including our foreign secretary, who will be at most of the venues with them, I think.
03:00There are so many lessons to be learned. And most of the time, the security people,
03:06they do their jobs and they catch. But terrorists, as we learned in this country,
03:11with the provisional IRA, where they blew up or tried to blow up Margaret Thatcher, our prime minister,
03:16they only have to succeed once. The security and protection and royalty protection have to succeed
03:22every day, 24-7. And lastly, that's why I look so old, so young.
Comments