London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Prince Harry wins bid to challenge UK decision denying him police protection

Prince Harry wins bid to challenge UK decision denying him police protection

Prince Harry won permission on Friday to legally challenge a government decision that denied him police protection while in Britain.

Harry, Queen Elizabeth's grandson, received the full police protection generally given to royal figures before he decided to step back from his royal duties and move to the United States with wife Meghan in 2020.

But the Home Office — the UK ministry responsible for policing, immigration and security — decided in February that year that Harry would cease receiving personal police security while in Britain even if he were to cover the cost himself.

On Friday, a British High Court judge granted permission for part of Harry's claim for a judicial review - a process where a judge examines the lawfulness of a public body's decision.

Price Harry's lawyers - who have previously said in court that a member of the royal household was involved in the decision - were not immediately reachable for comment.

There have been signs of tensions between Harry and the royal family since at least 2019, when he and Meghan decided to set up their own household, breaking from the joint operation they had with Prince William and his wife Kate.

Harry and Meghan have relied on a private security team since moving to California, where they live with their two young children.

Harry's lawyers, however, have said that private security arrangements did not give the prince the level of protection he needed while visiting Britain.

NO DATE SET


Harry's mother, Princess Diana, died in a Paris car crash while trying to escape paparazzi photographers, and the prince, also known as the Duke of Sussex, has expressed worries about "history repeating itself", in an apparent reference to the 1997 tragedy.

Harry and Meghan have in recent years received critical coverage in parts of the British press, which he has described as "toxic".

Friday's permission was granted on several different grounds although not on all of those the prince's legal team had sought, a judgment published on the court's website showed.

The court gave permission for the judicial review on the grounds that the prince should have been informed about the Home Office's security policy before the decision to deny him police protection was made.

He should have had the chance to make his case to the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, or RAVEC, the Home Office wing that made the decision, the judgement added.

No date was set for the judicial review.

The Home Office said via email it would not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

"The UK Government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security," a government spokesperson said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×