Prince Harry loses legal battle to maintain his personal police protection

Prince Harry has lost a legal bid that would allow him to privately fund his personal security services from the London Metropolitan Police Service.

This latest case is just one of the many that the Duke of Sussex is currently pursuing in the High Court, with the 38-year-old also involved in an ongoing trial against the tabloid publisher responsible for both the Daily Mail and Sun newspapers.

Prior to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s formal ‘step back’ from the Royal Family in April 2020, the UK Government backed Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), were responsible for ensuring the protection of both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their family.

With Meghan and Harry relocating to North America, it had been decided that it would not be in the public interest to continue to uphold the same level of private security, with the May 2023 ruling stating that because of Prince Harry’s “changed role, the provision of protective security would no longer be appropriate on the same basis as before and would cease no later than 31 March 2020.”

Following this decision, Prince Harry sought to have the agreement to end his protection judicially reviewed, with the High Court in London agreeing in 2022 that he would be permitted to legally challenge RAVEC’s decision.

During the May 2023 hearing, the legal team for Prince Harry argued that RAVEC did not possess the authority to formally reject his offer to fund his own personal police protection, adding that it would be unfair for RAVEC not to consider an exception based on his role as a major public figure.

The judge presiding over the case, Justice Martin Chamberlain, noted in his ruling that although Prince Harry “may still face some level of threat,” the private funding of his personal protection “would be likely to reduce the availability of a limited specialist resource.”

Justice Chamberlain also added, that “Public confidence in the [Metropolitan Police Service] and RAVEC may be undermined if it were believed that a wealthy individual could pay to receive protective security measures that they would not receive if they were less wealthy.”

Prince Harry will not be allowed to further challenge the decision in court, with Justice Chamberlain refusing permission for the Prince to apply for further judicial review.

The decision comes less than one week after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were involved in a “near-catastrophic” car chase in New York, with the New York Police Department assisting the couple’s private security team.

Profile Gracie Boyle