Prince Harry’s legal challenge over security will reach the High Court next week, it has just been announced.
The Duke of Sussex is taking legal action against the Home Office regarding his security arrangements when he is in the UK.
The 39-year-old is taking issue with the decision made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) over his security in February 2020.
Prince Harry was told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of personal protective security when visiting, due to stepping down from royal duties alongside his wife, Meghan Markle.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their intentions to step back as senior royals in January 2020.
However, the late Queen Elizabeth II, then-Prince Charles and Prince William met with Prince Harry at the Sandringham Summit the following week, where decisions were laid out regarding security and stepping back completely from royal duties.
Prince Harry was cleared to bring his challenge against the Home Office’s decision in July 2022.
Today, court staff confirmed the claim would be heard over three days starting from December 5.
The Duke of Sussex is involved in five High Court cases
PA
In making the bid for the legal challenge, lawyers for the prince argued that the security arrangements set out in a letter from Ravec, and their application when he visited the UK in June 2021, were invalid due to “procedural unfairness” because he was not given an opportunity to make “informed representations beforehand”.
Shaheed Fatima KC, for the duke, told the High Court in London last year: “He didn’t know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all.
“He was told it was an independent decision.”
Lawyers for the Home Office said Ravec was entitled to reach the decision it did, which is that Harry’s security arrangements will be considered on a case-by-case basis and argued that permission for a full challenge should be refused.
Prince Harry and Meghan do not receive royal security when in the UK
PA
The decision in this challenge is expected to be delivered at a later date.
Next week’s hearing is one of the five High Court claims the duke is involved in, including extensive litigation against newspaper publishers.
Earlier this year, Prince Harry was refused permission to bring a further legal challenge against the Home Office over a Ravec decision that he should not be allowed to pay privately for protective security.
