Britain’s Prince Harry loses legal challenge over police protection in UK

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - UK's Duke of Sussex on Friday lost his appeal against a ruling dismissing his challenge over the level of police security he gets when in Britain.

Prince Harry had challenged the dismissal of his claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, also known as Ravec, that he should be entitled a different degree of protection when he is in the UK.

A high court judge ruled last year that Ravec’s decision, taken in February 2020 after Harry and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped down as senior working royals, was lawful.

Ravec’s final decision said Metropolitan Police protection would no longer be appropriate after Harry and Meghan’s departure, and that they should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.

In Friday's ruling, Judge Geoffrey Vos said Harry's appeal would be dismissed.

Although the Duke of Sussex's arguments were both "powerful and moving," the judge said that he "could not say that the Duke's sense of grievance translated into a legal argument for the challenge to Ravec decision."

From now on, there would be a "bespoke" arrangement, and the Sussexes would be required to give a 30 days’ notice of any plans to travel to the country.