The Duke of Sussex will find out today whether he has won his bid to bring a High Court challenge against the Home Office over his security arrangements.
Harry's legal action is over a decision not to allow him to pay for police protection for himself and his family while in the UK, and at a preliminary hearing earlier this month, his lawyers asked Mr Justice Swift to grant permission for a full judicial review of the Home Office’s decision. He will give his decision on whether to grant permission for a full hearing on Friday.
Harry is challenging the February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) over his security, after being told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of personal protective security when visiting. The duke’s legal team is seeking to argue 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”.
Shaeed Fatima QC, for the duke, told the court earlier this month: “He didn’t know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all … he was told it was an independent decision.” However, lawyers for the Home Office say Ravec was entitled to reach the decision it did, which is that the duke’s security arrangements will be considered on a “case by case” basis, and argue that permission for a full judicial review should be refused.
Sir James Eadie QC, representing the Home Office, said in written arguments that any tensions between Harry and Royal Household officials are “irrelevant” to his change in status. Mr Justice Swift will give his judgment today (July 22) at 10am.
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