The year 2020 started as a big challenge to the royal family, thanks to Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who all gave Queen Elizabeth II a headache from scandals and controversies. 

Earlier this year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to step down as senior members of the royal family. At the same time, the Duke of York got lambasted for his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

Even before reaching half of the year, all three of them are out of their royal duties and are no longer rightful to represent the Queen in their future endeavours. But while Prince Andrew, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle all brought major scandals within The Firm, it looks like one side is not getting a fair treatment over the other. 

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Discriminated

When Harry and Meghan fled to the United States to kick off their private and independent life, they were stripped off a royal perk that they enjoyed: around-the-clock security protection.

Harry and Meghan are now privately funding the security team protecting them in their Los Angeles home since U.S. President Donald Trump also got his hands off in paying the couple's security team. 

Meanwhile, the 60-year-old Prince Andrew still enjoys the same police protection in the United Kingdom even if he is already out of duty just like Harry and Meghan. 

A royal expert said that this is some sort of unfair treatment for the Sussexes and that that they should also be getting the same VIP treatment as Prince Andrew.

Security 101

Speaking to Newsweek, royal correspondent Elaine Lui slammed Queen Elizabeth II's inconsistent treatment between her son and grandson.

"Prince Andrew is not my favorite royal. But I actually understand the rationale behind having to keep him safe," Lui said. 

"He is tremendously unpopular right now. Which means that he is at a higher risk and there's already a baseline level of risk for members of the royal family."

Earlier this year, the Evening Standard reported that authorities were reviewing Prince Andrew's rights to have round-the-clock armed protection, as the police could not write a blank check for anyone that doesn't have a public role. 

However, The Sun claimed that Her Majesty stepped in the narrative and requested the U.K. Metropolitan Police to continue protecting his son. 

Lui argued that the same VIP treatment should also apply for Harry and Meghan, even if they are living half-way across the world. 

"They should have protection in the sense they are technically still members of the royal family. Harry is the son of the future monarch," Lui explained.

"Even though they are not living in the U.K. and they chose to leave public duty, or they were compelled to, I do think that if there is a justification for Prince Andrew to be protected, then there should be a justification for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle."

Lui, who owns the Lainey Gossip website, believes that if Queen Elizabeth II would take this perk away from Harry and Meghan, it should also be taken away from Prince Andrew. But according to her, the current situation shows the British monarch's bias. 

READ MORE: Prince Andrew Scandal: Jeffrey Epstein Victim Slams' Idiot' Duke Of York