The Duke of Sussex lost his case in the U.K. after the judge made the statement in favor of the government. Prince Harry had argued in court to be eligible for police protection as per the fact that he belongs to the royal family. However, with his decision to step back from royal duties, he also lost the advantages that came along with it. Judge Peter Lane of the High Court, however, affirmed on Wednesday the decision made by the British government—more precisely, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, or RAVEC—to reduce Prince Harry’s level of security.
The judge gave the statement, “The court has found that there has not been any unlawfulness in reaching the decision of 28 February 2020. The decision was not irrational. The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.” He further added, “The court has also found that there has been no unlawfulness on the part of RAVEC in respect of its arrangements for certain of the claimant’s visits to Great Britain.”
How Did Prince Harry React To The Ruling Of The British Court?
The Duke of Sussex was not happy with the outcome of the hearing. A legal spokesperson from Prince Harry’s team gave a statement on behalf of the former royal member. They said, “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.”
They continued on the same lines, “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.”
Prince Harry had filed the lawsuit in December 2023.
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Statement Released By Prince Harry In December, Ahead Of The Hearing
While filing the lawsuit, Prince Harry released a statement explaining the need for police protection. The statement read, “The U.K. is my home. The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the United States. That cannot happen if there is no possibility to keep them safe when they are on U.K. soil.” It further read, “I can’t put my wife in danger like that, and given my experiences in life, I’m reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm’s way too.”
The former royal family member also shared that protection is important for his children to feel safe in their home country.
