Prince Harry has encountered another defeat in his ongoing legal battle concerning his entitlement to publicly funded security in the U.K. The Duke of Sussex has been contesting the government’s decision to revoke his automatic police protection, a privilege typically extended to royal family members, following his departure from official duties and relocation abroad in 2020.
In a recent ruling from the Court of Appeal, the judges upheld a previous decision issued last February, confirming that Harry's arguments did not persuade the court. During a two-day hearing last month, Harry’s legal representatives expressed serious concerns regarding the safety of the prince, his wife Meghan, and their two children, claiming they were subjected to “inferior treatment.”
Harry's legal representatives maintained that the government's decision to withdraw standard protection breached established policy and was not legally justified. The decision was initially made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (known as Ravec), comprising government officials, police, and royal household members.
Harry first initiated his legal challenge in September 2021 and suggested he might finance security measures himself, a proposition that Ravec rejected, citing concerns over the potential reduction in the availability of close protection officers in the U.K., where such officers are not armed and undergo extensive training.
Despite losing prior court challenges regarding funding decisions and receiving unfavorable rulings from the High Court, Harry was granted a chance to appeal on specific legal grounds, focusing on whether Ravec had breached its own protocol.
Throughout the duration of this legal struggle, Prince Harry has traveled to the U.K. on multiple occasions, including significant family events such as the funeral of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and his father, King Charles III's coronation. Each of these visits has necessitated new applications for public protection, processed on an individual basis, leading to the employment of private security measures.
In addition to this ongoing case regarding security, Harry is also engaged in a separate legal battle with the publisher of the Daily Mail, alongside other celebrities, alleging unlawful inquiries into their private lives. A hearing for this case is scheduled for next week.
This article will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.
