NEW DELHI: Prince Harry‘s unsuccessful attempt to restore his police protection has incurred a cost of more than £500,000 to the taxpayer, as disclosed in a recent report. The Duke of Sussex’s legal fight against the Home Office, stemming from the downgrading of his security after relocating to the US with Meghan Markle, has sparked significant financial and public interest repercussions.
As per a Daily Mail report, the expenditure, amounting to £514,128, was directed towards defending against two separate judicial review claims Harry initiated following his departure from royal duties. This sum encompasses over £180,000 for barristers, £320,000 allocated to the Government’s legal department, and additional costs in court fees and document disclosures. The total cost is anticipated to rise as Prince Harry has signaled intentions to appeal last month’s ruling, which did not favor his case.
The judicial review scrutinized the Home Office’s decision led by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec). Prince Harry argued this decision unjustly jeopardized his and his family’s safety, accusing the committee of unfairly singling him out compared to other VIPs. The Home Office defended its stance by highlighting the necessity to allocate Britain’s finite public resources judiciously, reserving police protection for those in roles benefiting the state, the Daily Mail report said.
Ultimately, a High Court judge deemed the decision to revoke Prince Harry’s automatic round-the-clock police protection—opting instead for a case-by-case security assessment—was lawful. This verdict has left Prince Harry facing an estimated legal bill of £1 million.
Beyond this specific legal challenge, Prince Harry is engaged in other legal battles, including lawsuits against News Group Newspapers and Associated Newspapers. Despite these ongoing disputes, a recent libel claim against The Mail on Sunday was dropped, resulting in an additional estimated legal cost of £750,000 for the Duke.
As Prince Harry’s efforts to challenge the decisions affecting his family’s safety and privacy continue, the financial implications of these legal battles weigh heavily on taxpayers, raising questions about the costs associated with public figures’ security and the broader implications for royal and government accountability.
As per a Daily Mail report, the expenditure, amounting to £514,128, was directed towards defending against two separate judicial review claims Harry initiated following his departure from royal duties. This sum encompasses over £180,000 for barristers, £320,000 allocated to the Government’s legal department, and additional costs in court fees and document disclosures. The total cost is anticipated to rise as Prince Harry has signaled intentions to appeal last month’s ruling, which did not favor his case.
The judicial review scrutinized the Home Office’s decision led by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec). Prince Harry argued this decision unjustly jeopardized his and his family’s safety, accusing the committee of unfairly singling him out compared to other VIPs. The Home Office defended its stance by highlighting the necessity to allocate Britain’s finite public resources judiciously, reserving police protection for those in roles benefiting the state, the Daily Mail report said.
Ultimately, a High Court judge deemed the decision to revoke Prince Harry’s automatic round-the-clock police protection—opting instead for a case-by-case security assessment—was lawful. This verdict has left Prince Harry facing an estimated legal bill of £1 million.
Beyond this specific legal challenge, Prince Harry is engaged in other legal battles, including lawsuits against News Group Newspapers and Associated Newspapers. Despite these ongoing disputes, a recent libel claim against The Mail on Sunday was dropped, resulting in an additional estimated legal cost of £750,000 for the Duke.
As Prince Harry’s efforts to challenge the decisions affecting his family’s safety and privacy continue, the financial implications of these legal battles weigh heavily on taxpayers, raising questions about the costs associated with public figures’ security and the broader implications for royal and government accountability.