Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have reportedly hired Michael Jackson's former bodyguard to head their security team

Also along for the ride was Charlie van Straubenzee, 34, Harry's best friend and godfather to his son Archie, three.

More security staff followed in a 4x4 as dad-of-two Harry took a spin on his £1,070 electric bike near his £11 million mansion in Montecito, California, which he shares with wife Meghan, 40, and their 11-month-old daughter Lilibet.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "Alberto has worked with the biggest celebrities so knows every trick in the book of keeping them out of harm's way.

"He is discreet and was extremely loyal to Michael.

"He and Harry seem like a good match and Harry hopes he's the man to look after him and his family."

Alberto was the guard who famously called 911 on the night singer Jackson died aged 50 in 2009 after an overdose of ultra-potent hospital tranquilliser propofol.

The emergency call, in which he told operators the King of Pop was "not responding" to CPR, was read out in court at a preliminary hearing of the trail of Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray, 69, found guilty of manslaughter for administering propofol.

Alberto went on to be hired by One Direction and his recruitment by Harry comes after a dispute with the Home Office over his private security detail being cut in Britain.

He claimed the row stopped him returning to the UK for the memorial service for his grandfather Prince Phillip after his death aged 99 in April 2021.

Harry offered to fund the security rather than ask taxpayers to foot the bill.

But he is now embroiled in an argument his private protection team in the US does not have access to UK intelligence needed to keep his family safe when they are in Britain.