The Duke of Sussex has been granted permission to bring a High Court challenge against the Home Office over his security arrangements in the UK. Prince Harry seeks a review of the decision that prevents him from paying for police protection for himself and his family during visits from the US.
A February 2020 ruling by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) determined that the duke and his family would not receive the same level of protection as when he was a full-time working royal. The High Court judge, Mr Justice Swift, allowed part of Prince Harry's claim to proceed to a judicial review, stating the application was allowed in part and refused in part.
Prince Harry's legal team argued that the security arrangements were procedurally unfair, as he was not given the opportunity to make informed representations beforehand. They also highlighted that he was unaware of the involvement of a senior aide to the Queen, with whom he had tensions, in the decision to downgrade his security.
The Home Office maintains that Ravec was entitled to its decision, which provides for security on a case-by-case basis, and argued against a full judicial review. The legal battle now moves to the next stage, though it remains a partial victory for the duke, as many of his challenges were rejected.
