Close Protection
Discreet personal protection built around a life, not a cordon.
Close protection at Ashenden is a capable presence built around the shape of a life, not a wall of people around it. A small, vetted detail plans ahead of you, moves with you when it matters, and stays invisible when it does not.
Every principal is different, so every detail is designed rather than assigned. We begin with the routine, the school run, the office, the travel, the events, and build protection that fits it, so the people and places that matter are kept without the household ever feeling watched.
It is protection that holds up to scrutiny: officers who are trained, background-checked and continuously assessed, working to clear protocols and a single line of command; calm by default, decisive when required.
Held to one standard, end to end.
Vetted protection officers
Details drawn from military, police and government-trained backgrounds: background-checked, cleared, and continuously assessed.
Advance work & reconnaissance
Venues, routes and transport reconnoitred before you arrive, so nothing is improvised on the day.
Secure communications & duress protocols
Encrypted comms across the detail, with agreed signals and escalation paths if something changes.
Residence & event coverage
Protection at home, at gatherings, and at the places you convene, sized to the occasion.
Family & staff integration
Household staff briefed and drilled, so everyone knows their part without the home feeling like a fortress.
One line of command
A single point of contact who knows the picture, coordinates the detail, and answers for it.
- Principals and their families
- Executives and public figures with an elevated profile
- Visiting dignitaries and their households
- Anyone facing a specific, current threat
- Is close protection always overt?
- No. Our default posture is discreet, low-profile officers and unmarked vehicles, and we make protection visible only when a situation calls for deterrence. Most of the time it should be felt as ease, not seen as a cordon.
- Do you operate internationally?
- Yes. We provide close protection across Europe, the Middle East and North America, coordinating advance work, secure transport and vetted local partners so cover is seamless wherever you travel.
- Can protection cover my family and staff, not just me?
- Yes. Details are built around the household, principal, family and staff, with briefings and drills so everyone understands their role in keeping the home secure.
- How quickly can a detail be arranged?
- For standing arrangements we plan in advance; for urgent situations we can stand up a vetted detail at short notice and refine it as we learn more. The first conversation is private and without obligation.
Speak to us, in confidence.
Tell us what you are weighing up. The first conversation is private and unhurried, with the people who would actually hold the work, not a sales desk.