Prince Harry is reportedly worried that his bid to have his taxpayer-funded police protection reinstated will be further delayed by a review into increased security for public figures. For several years, the Duke of Sussex has been in discussions with the Home Office to have his security measures restored, which he lost when he quit his royal role in 2020.
Harry has long argued that he and his family are under imminent threat in the UK, where they now reside after moving from California, and believes his taxpayer-funded security needs to be reviewed. After months of appeals to the Home Office, it was announced in August that the government department will carry out a new Risk Management Board hearing at his request.
Concerns over timing of hearing
However, the Telegraph has reported that the Duke is 'considering next steps' as he is 'concerned' the hearing will be delayed, after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood prioritised a review of security measures for public figures.
On Monday, Ms Mahmood announced a security review for MPs, members of the Royal family and public figures in the wake of Ann Widdecombe's shocking death in July. She said protection arrangements for public figures would be urgently reviewed to establish whether they were adequate for those most at risk.
Home Secretary's statement
The Home Secretary told MPs that it would examine security from every angle, including physical threats, online risks and the dangers posed within the UK's 'more polarised' society.
Ms Mahmood said: "Those who enter public life do so to serve. Robust debate and criticism are part of the job. Threats, abuse and violence are not. An attack on any individual in public life is an attack on every one of us, and it is an attack on democracy itself. We owe it to those public servants we have tragically lost, and to everyone who believes in a fair and open country, to ensure those who serve receive the protection they deserve."
Duke's response and legal history
In response to the security review, a source close to the Duke told the Telegraph: "If the review is genuinely root-and-branch and truly independent, it could provide an opportunity to shine a light on the current processes, which appear contradictory and allow far too much discretion to be exercised according to political appetite or bias, rather than being grounded in an objective assessment of threat and risk."
Harry has previously lost a case at the High Court and a subsequent hearing at the Court of Appeal, before he wrote directly to Shabana Mahmood asking for a renewed assessment of his security situation. Home Office sources say Harry has been in constant contact with the department in recent months, describing his correspondence as "incessant".
Harry has appealed for a new risk assessment to be carried out by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), the body that was integral in stripping away his security detail in 2020. The last review into the prince's security risk took place at the end of July, before the duke informed the Home Office of his plans to relocate his family back to the UK from the US.
