Prince Harry’s lawyers have claimed his safety, security and life are “at stake”, at the final day of his appeal over a decision to strip him of taxpayer funded protection in the UK. The Duke of Sussex flew back to Britain this week to challenge the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office.
Harry, 40, arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London shortly before 10.10am today and sat behind his barristers during the hearing. The Duke has argued he can not bring his wife and two children Archie, five and Lilibet, three, because he does not feel safe, despite being offered security if there is a specific threat.
At the end of the two-day appeal, Shaheed Fatima KC, for the duke, said the “human dimension” of the case must not be forgotten.
She continued: “There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security, and whose life is at stake.
“There is a person sitting behind me who is being told he is getting a special bespoke process when he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior in every respect.”
Ms Fatima said this could be seen in the “clear terms of the decision letter” discussed during a private session of the hearing.
She added: “We do say that his presence here, and throughout this appeal, is a potent illustration, were one needed, of how much this appeal means to him and his family.”
Earlier in the appeal, Ms Fatima said Ravec came up with a “different and so-called bespoke process” for Harry, who lives in the United States.
She continued: “The appellant does not accept that ‘bespoke’ means ‘better’. In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment.”
The barrister questioned the process involving the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) meaning he “has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment”.
The Home Office is defending the appeal, previously telling the court the challenge “involves a continued failure to see the wood for the trees, advancing propositions available only by reading small parts of the evidence, and now the judgment, out of context and ignoring the totality of the picture”.
Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, said Ravec was faced with a “unique set of circumstances” given Harry and his wife Meghan chose to quit their royal roles in 2020 and set up home in the United States.
At the end of the hearing, judge Sir Geoffrey Vos said the Court of Appeal’s decision would be given in writing at a later date, which was “most unlikely” to be before Easter.
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