Prince Harry has faced a setback in his attempt to make private payments for police protection as his legal challenge was rejected by a judge. The Duke of Sussex had sought a judicial review after his security arrangements changed following his departure from royal duties. However, the court ruled against proceeding with the hearing.
The Home Office had opposed the idea of allowing wealthy individuals to “buy” security services from the police. Prince Harry’s lawyers argued that provisions in legislation permitted payment for “special police services,” asserting that it was not inconsistent with public interest or confidence in the Metropolitan Police Service.
The legal dispute centered around the decision-making process of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), responsible for security arrangements for high-profile figures, including senior royals. Prince Harry’s lawyers contended that Ravec had exceeded its authority in making the decision to reject his private funding for police protection.
The Home Office’s legal team maintained that the type of protection discussed, potentially involving specialist officers as bodyguards, differed from funding for additional policing for events such as football matches. They argued against exposing officers to danger due to the “payment of a fee by a private individual” and emphasized the policy of opposing the idea of allowing wealthy individuals to “buy” protective security.
While Prince Harry had previously expressed his desire not to burden taxpayers with security costs, his challenge to pay privately has been unsuccessful. Last year, he obtained permission for legal reviews of the decision-making process, but the outcome of those reviews is still pending.
Source: BBC