Prince Harrys best friend: The hired security guard who has had lonely royals back for more than a decade - including on THAT trip to Las Vegas and Meghan Markles star-studded New York baby shower
Stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry gave up much in exchange for personal freedom: the cosy trappings of Frogmore Cottage, financial security, and the reassurance of the Met Polices Royalty and Specialist Protection command.
Stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Prince Harry gave up much in exchange for personal freedom: the cosy trappings of Frogmore Cottage, financial security, and the reassurance of the Met Polices Royalty and Specialist Protection command.
But reports suggest he may have also given up something else as he and Meghan Markle fled to sunny Montecito: a close circle of pals.
Reports suggest the Duke of Sussex is increasingly lonely in California and counts on a former royal protection officer, to whom he is now thought to pay thousands of pounds a day for security, as his best friend.
David Langdown served as a close protection officer with the Met for 16 years and was assigned to Harry for around a decade - accompanying Harry on his infamous trip to Las Vegas where he had a pool party surrounded by bikini-clad women.
But even as the Dukes wild side was tempered with age, Langers, as he is known, has been a consistent presence at his and Meghans side.
And after retiring from the public sector he has continued to work for the Duke, becoming one of his closest confidants.
David Langdown has been at Harrys side for more than a decade - seen here accompanying the Prince out of a Soho nightclub after a night out in 2011
He became Meghans protection officer as she and Harry courted and after they wed - seen here at the Duchess back in New York in 2019
And he was in the front seat of a Range Rover that whisked Harry and Meghan away from Frogmore Cottage in 2022
Langdown accompanied Harry on his infamous 2012 trip to Las Vegas, where he enjoyed the company of bikini-clad women and a game of strip billiards
Harry is said to be lonely on the other side of the Atlantic, with his 40th birthday bash expected to largely feature Meghans Hollywood pals on its guestlist.
It is not known whether Langdown will be among those attending, or whether he will accompany the Duke on the holiday he is reported to be taking with friends to mark the end of his fourth decade on the planet.
But the ex-Met copper, who is believed to have gotten his start as a beat constable in north Londons Stoke Newington, is thought to be a regular visitor to Los Angeles in his role as US Operations Director at private security firm Broadstone Risks.
He has been pictured alongside Harry at many key moments in his life in both a public service and mercenary capacity.
Langers was alongside Harry as he left a Soho nightclub in 2011; he also joined the Duke on the infamous Las Vegas trip that saw Harry photographed completely naked after playing strip billiards.
Mr Langdown was also seen with Meghan after she and Harry courted, accompanying the couple on their first royal trip to Northern Ireland in March 2018 before they were married two months later.
He was behind Meghan when she stepped out in New York for a baby shower a year later, noticeably pregnant with young Archie.
Mr Langdown is believed to have retired from the Met in the summer of 2022, months after he received the Royal Victorian Medal from Queen Elizabeth II for services to the royal family.
Months later, he was in the front seat of a Range Rover transporting Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage having begun his work with Broadstone, a firm set up by former Met officer Peter Miles.
It is reported to have protected the likes of Beyonce and Jay-Z as well as pop star Ariana Grande.
The firm describes Mr Langdown as having a career distinguished by profound commitment and unparalleled expertise during which he guarded Queen Elizabeth II, the then-Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, now the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Bringing his vast experience and insights to Broadstone Risks in 2022, David now significantly contributes to the company’s international operations, its website reads.
His focus on royal and government-level protective services enriches Broadstone Risks with a depth of expertise rarely found in the field.
He is an omnipresent force at the Sussexes engagements, seen here behind Meghan in 2022 at an Invictus Games launch event in Dusseldorf, Germany
David Langdown pictured with Prince Harry in London in March 2023. He is believed to primarily work out of California
Langers, as he is known among friends, became a police officer in the early 1990s and retired in 2022 (pictured in Nigeria as part of the Sussexes entourage in May)
Where the Sussexes go, Langers follows: seen here over their shoulder as they visited Colombia in August
A senior security source told MailOnline in 2022: Dave is a lovely guy and a very experienced royal protection officer who worked for Harry for many years.
Harry clearly trusts him - so much so that he accompanied Meghan on her baby shower in New York. He was also with Harry in Vegas.
And since then, he has been an omnipresent force at Harry and Meghans back: ever present, but never the focus of attention.
More recently, Mr Langdown was seen maintaining a watchful eye over the Sussexes as they undertook a quasi-royal tour of Nigeria in May - sternly monitoring the visit from behind a pair of horn-rimmed glasses.
And as the pair touched down in Colombia for another tour - one that was criticised for costing south American taxpayers £45,000 - the minder wasnt far behind.
Sources say Harry and Mr Langdown are thick as thieves, with the security guard relocating his family to California.
One source told the Sun: The guard is an English guy who moved to Montecito with his family. He and Harry are very close, very tight. As thick as thieves.
But his presence does not come cheap.
A security source told the Mirror in 2022 that while Mr Langdown is the best of the best and his relationship with Harry goes back donkeys years, the bill for his services is certainly...thousands of pounds a day.
Harry is said to spend his days doing school runs and going on bike rides with his security staff, with growing resentment at the Sussexes public image in contrast to that of his brother and sister in law, the Prince and Princess of Wales.
One old friend last month told The Times how Harry is now a very angry boy, adding: Anyone who knows him feels hed rather be top of the pops here with everyone loving him, as they do with William and Kate.
The Sussexes and Broadstone were contacted for comment.
