The Duke of Sussex has lost a legal challenge against the Home Office over the downgrading of his taxpayer-funded security in the UK. Three senior judges at the Court of Appeal rejected his claim that he was 'singled out' for 'inferior treatment' after the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) decided he should receive a different level of protection when in the country.
Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Master of the Rolls, stated that although the duke's sense of grievance was understandable, it did not translate into a legal argument to challenge Ravec's decision. The ruling allows the government to proceed with a 'bespoke' security arrangement, which requires Harry to give 30 days' notice of any visit to the UK, with each trip assessed individually.
Harry's legal team argued that his safety and life were 'at stake' and that Ravec did not follow its own terms of reference. However, the Home Office maintained that Ravec faced a 'unique set of circumstances' and that the decision was lawful. A High Court judge had previously ruled in favour of the Home Office in 2023.
The duke, who attended the two-day hearing last month, described the case as 'the one that always mattered the most'. He could potentially appeal to the Supreme Court, but would need permission. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson noted that the issues had been 'examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts'.
