2023-12-05 16:29:21
A legal action by the Prince against the Ministry of the Interior. The High Court in London will examine from Tuesday the procedure launched by Prince Harry to challenge the cessation of the systematic management of his security when he is in the United Kingdom. The Duke of Sussex, youngest son of King Charles III and his wife Meghan, lost this systematic protection from the police, granted at the expense of the British taxpayer, after deciding to withdraw from the royal family in 2020 and to settle in the United States.
Concretely, Harry’s appeal concerns the decision taken by the authorities in February 2020 to grant him police protection on a case-by-case basis. Presenting the case at the hearing, where the Duke of Sussex was not present, his lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, said the case was about the prince’s right to “safety” when he is at home. United Kingdom.
“Case-by-case” security that does not satisfy Harry
A decision-making process “on a case-by-case basis results in excessive uncertainty” for the prince and those in charge of his security, she argued in her written statement. She also highlighted the impact that a possible attack on the Duke of Sussex could have on the reputation of the United Kingdom, due to “his status, his background and his position within the royal family”.
At the hearing, Home Office lawyer James Eadie defended the decision taken by Ravec – the body responsible for the security of members of the royal family and most important public figures – to grant to Prince Harry “tailor-made” protection, “in certain circumstances” and “depending on the context” surrounding his travels in the United Kingdom.
Prince Harry, who therefore sometimes has to resort to private protection at his own expense, had requested to be able to benefit from police protection, paying with his personal funds, when he is in the United Kingdom, but this request was it was also rejected by the courts last May.
The question of his safety was brought back to the forefront in May when the prince and his wife were followed by car in New York by paparazzi. Harry accuses the press and paparazzi of causing the car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997 that killed his mother, Lady Di.
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