Prince Harry Loses High Court Case Against UK Government Over Security, Plans to Appeal Ruling
Prince Harry lost a High Court case against the United Kingdom's government over his security in the UK.
When the Duke of Sussex ceased to be a working royal, it was decided that his security classification would be lowered, even though he still faced serious security risks in the UK. The Duke claimed that he had been treated unfairly regarding the adjustments to his police protection, per Hello! Magazine.
Prince Harry's security was determined on an individual basis after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, resigned from royal roles, just like many other prominent visitors to the UK, per the BBC.
The Duke claims in his lawsuit that this decision process was unfair. The court has rejected Prince Harry's attempt to contest the decision-making process and has upheld the decisions made by the "Ravec" committee—a group that includes representatives from the Home Office, Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Household—which is in charge of managing security for the Royal Family and other prominent public figures.
A legal spokesperson for the Duke said that he is valid in his demands. “The duke is not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of Ravec’s own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others in accordance with Ravec’s own written policy,” the spokesperson explained.
“In February 2020, Ravec failed to apply its written policy to the Duke of Sussex and excluded him from a particular risk analysis. The duke’s case is that the so-called ‘bespoke process’ that applies to him is no substitute for that risk analysis. The Duke of Sussex hopes he will obtain justice from the Court of Appeal, and makes no further comment while the case is ongoing,” the spokesperson added of the Prince's plans to appeal.
Prince Harry has only made a few quick trips to the UK in the last several years, and his court battles about his safety in the country are a reflection of his concerns over his family's safety.
During a hearing in December, a passage from a poignant written witness statement was read aloud by the Duke's legal team. The statement detailed Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle's reasons for feeling compelled to relocate to the United States following their decision to step down as senior royals. "It was with great sadness for both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020," Harry wrote emotionally.
"The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children and a place where I want them to feel at home, as much as where they live at the moment in the US. That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on UK soil. I cannot put my wife in danger like that and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm's way too," the emotional statement continued.
