Prince Harry’s lawyer outlined in court threats made against him, including calls for his murder. King Charles’s youngest son appealed against an “unjustified” decision to restrict his police protection in the United Kingdom (UK) on Tuesday.
Prince Harry’s UK Protection Case is making headlines.
Harry, who has been angered by the government’s decision, watched proceedings unfold from inside London’s Royal Courts of Justice. This happened during a rare visit to London for Prince Harry’s UK Protection Case.
Following Harry’s dramatic split from the royal family in 2020, he moved to North America with his wife Meghan. They are no longer considered as working royals.
The British government said he would no longer be given the “same degree” of publicly funded protection when in the UK. It will be provided solely on a case-by-case basis regarding Prince Harry’s UK Protection Case.
The 40-year-old prince took legal action against the interior ministry. After his initial case was rejected last year, he has now brought the challenge before the Court of Appeal in central London.
In a written submission, the prince’s lawyers warned of threats made against the royal’s security.
“Al-Qaeda recently called for (Harry) to be murdered,” and he and Meghan were “involved in a dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi in New York City” in May 2023, the submission said.
His lawyer Shaheed Fatima said the prince “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.”
‘Forced to step back’
The Duke of Sussex and his American wife Meghan Markle are now largely estranged from the royal family. They have started a new life in California.
But King Charles III’s younger son has said security concerns have hampered his ability to visit home. He has only rarely returned to the UK for short visits.
In a written submission to the appeals court, Harry’s lawyers said the prince and Meghan “felt forced to step back” from frontline royal duties. This was because “they considered they were not being protected by the institution”.
Harry was widely criticised when in his autobiography “Spare” he claimed to have killed 25 people in Afghanistan. This sparked ire from the Taliban.
Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a high-speed car crash in Paris in 1997. This happened as she tried to escape paparazzi photographers.
The prince’s legal battle centres on a February 2020 decision to downgrade his security. This decision was made by the UK’s interior ministry and a committee that deals with the protection of royals and public figures.
The High Court ruled in February 2024 against Harry’s case, saying the government had acted lawfully.
The prince’s initial bid to appeal was refused in April 2024. He was ordered to pay about £1 000 000 in legal costs, according to The Times newspaper.
However, the following month, a judge said Harry could challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
Fatima argued the committee had failed to carry out an assessment of the risks posed to Harry. Furthermore, the High Court had been wrong to overlook that. Prince Harry’s UK Protection Case will continue to be closely watched.
‘Right to safety’
“This appeal concerns the most fundamental right – to safety and security of person,” Fatima said on Tuesday.
Harry, dressed in a dark suit with a blue-patterned tie, looked on in the courtroom. He occasionally whispered into the ear of another member of his legal team or wrote in a notebook.
In its submission to the court, the government insisted Harry’s security “would be considered depending on the circumstances” given his change of position.
The hearing is expected to finish on Wednesday, with some parts to be held in private due to security concerns.
A decision in writing is expected later in Prince Harry’s UK Protection Case.
Harry, who has pursued several legal suits against British UK tabloid dailies, is also embroiled in a separate row over a charity he co-founded in southern Africa.
A bitter boardroom battle has seen the prince resign as patron of the Sentebale charity.
Its chair, Sophie Chandauka, has accused him of “bullying” and being involved in a “cover-up”.
Harry has in turn hit out at what he called “blatant lies”. The UK-based charity watchdog has launched an investigation.
