London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 05, 2025

Prince Harry faced tensions with royal officials as security downgraded, court hears

Prince Harry faced tensions with royal officials as security downgraded, court hears

The Duke of Sussex faced "significant tensions" with a top aide to the Queen involved in downgrading his security, a court has been told.

Challenging the decision, Prince Harry's lawyer said he had not been aware Sir Edward Young, the Queen's private secretary, played a role.

The decision was "materially prejudiced" as key information was withheld, Shaeed Fatima QC said.

The duke lost full protection after he stepped back from royal duties in 2020.

Without a guarantee of police protection, Prince Harry believes it is too dangerous to bring his family from the US to visit the UK - which his lawyer has previously said "is and always will be his home".

The duke's legal team argued the decision about his security by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as Ravec, was invalid because of "procedural unfairness".

They questioned whether it was "appropriate" for Sir Edward or other members of the Royal Household to sit on the committee, when Prince Harry had been told it was "independent".

Representing the duke, Ms Fatima said: "He didn't know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all."

Sir Edward Young, the Queen's private secretary, had a tense relationship with Prince Harry, lawyers said


She said Prince Harry should have been able to make direct representations to Ravec to ensure his arguments were properly communicated to the committee and been given an opportunity to respond to points being made by others, including members of the Royal Household.

Ms Fatima said his offer to pay for his own police protection "was not conveyed to Ravec" and so the decision was "materially prejudiced".


This court action is still at an early stage. Mr Justice Swift is being asked to decide whether Prince Harry has an arguable case going forward. That decision won't come for another few weeks.

However - the written and oral submissions heard in Court three this morning are headline-making because of the detail and most notably what were described as "significant tensions" between Prince Harry and the Queen's private secretary, Sir Edward Young.

No specifics were read out in court - sensitive information was kept out of the public hearing. But it does point to the breakdown in relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Household prior to their move abroad.

Whatever Mr Justice Swift decides, there may be further legal action as counsel for the Duke of Sussex has indicated a second judicial review claim has been started into whether he should be allowed to fund the security himself rather than having taxpayers pay for it.

An offer Prince Harry's counsel say was made - including in an email to Sir Edward Young in 2020 - but which was not passed on to Ravec.

Lawyers for the Home Office say Ravec was entitled to make the decision it did - to provide police protection to Prince Harry and Meghan on a case-by-case basis when they visit the UK.

Sir James Eadie QC, representing the Home Office, said in written arguments that personal tensions between Prince Harry and Royal Household officials are "irrelevant" to his change in status when he stepped back from royal duties.

He said there was "no basis" to conclude that the duke making representations to the committee would have led to a different outcome.

Prince Harry has previously argued his private security team cannot replicate the work of police protection in the UK, with their access to local intelligence and legal powers.

He and Meghan have only rarely visited since their move to California. On one visit in July 2021, the duke's car was chased by photographers as he left a charity event.

The Sussexes also stopped in the UK in April, meeting the Queen on the way to the Invictus Games, and attended the thanksgiving service during the Platinum Jubilee last month.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
×