Court rejects Prince Harry's plea to pay for police protection
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, faced a setback in his legal battle over private payments for police protection during his visits to the UK. This has come to foray following his decision to step down from his role as a working royal. The security arrangements for him were modified and his offer to cover the costs of his own protection was reportedly declined.
Why does this story matter?
Recently, Harry's legal team appeared in a London Court to argue for his right to challenge a government decision that denied him to pay for his own police protection. This legal case is one of six ongoing legal proceedings involving the Duke of Sussex. Simultaneously, Harry's high-profile phone hacking trial against the Daily Mirror publisher is underway before a separate judge in High Court.
A judge turned down Harry's plea in a new hearing
The judicial review, challenging the government's decision, was turned down by a judge in a new hearing. Per a BBC report, "Government Home Office lawyers oppose wealthy people being able to buy police security." Notably, The Royal Family is given round-the-clock protection, paid for by taxes. Meanwhile, Harry's legal team argued that paying for "special police services" was not "inconsistent with the public interest."
Harry raised concerns over safety of bringing family to UK
Harry expressed his concerns regarding the safety of his children—Archie and Lillibet—when visiting his hometown. He argued that he doesn't feel safe bringing his family without police security, emphasizing that his US security team lacks jurisdiction abroad and access to intelligence in the UK. Notably, the British government ceased providing security when Harry and his wife Meghan Markle relocated to California in 2020.
When Harry-Markle got caught in a near-catastrophic car chase
Earlier this month, the couple got caught in an incident involving a near-catastrophic car chase with paparazzi, evoking painful memories of Princess Diana's tragic death in a car crash in 1997, international media reported. While nobody was hurt in this incident, it added to their concerns about personal safety and privacy. Post that, Harry managed to secure legal reviews related to his security arrangements.
