Prince Harry appealed his security arrangement decision at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday, following his departure from royal duties.
Harry, King Charles’ younger son, is seeking to overturn a 2020 Home Office ruling. The Home Office, which oversees policing, determined he would not automatically receive personal police protection in the UK.
Since stepping back from royal responsibilities in 2020, Prince Harry has been residing in California with his American wife, Meghan, and their two children.
Last year, the High Court dismissed Harry’s challenge, upholding the legality of the Home Office’s decision, but granted him the opportunity to appeal.
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During the final day of the two-day hearing, the 40-year-old prince frequently consulted with his legal team, occasionally shaking his head as government lawyers defended the decision to implement a “bespoke” security approach.
James Eadie, representing the Home Office, stated, “The rationale behind the decision-making and the bespoke approach was that it offered significant advantages from a security assessment perspective, particularly as it would be based on actual facts moving forward.”
Some portions of Wednesday’s hearing were conducted in private, focusing on specific security arrangements.
As Harry exited the court during a brief recess, a woman in the public gallery expressed her support for him.
On Tuesday, Harry’s attorney, Shaheed Fatima, argued that the flexible security approach resulted in the prince being “singled out for different, unjustified, and inferior treatment.” She also noted in court documents that al Qaeda had recently issued threats against Harry’s life and mentioned a “dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi in New York City” involving him and Meghan in 2023.
