Prince Harry's security in UK under government review

Prince Harry's security in UK under government review

The security arrangements for the Duke of Sussex during his visits to the United Kingdom are currently being re-evaluated, according to information received by the BBC. Earlier this year, Prince Harry lost a legal bid to have his police protection reinstated while he is in the UK. Following the ruling, he expressed in a BBC interview that bringing his family back to his homeland was unsafe because he could not guarantee their protection.

A review by the Home Office is now reportedly underway to determine whether Prince Harry should be granted automatic and full police protection on his trips to the UK despite no longer being an active working member of the royal family. Those close to the duke have described this reassessment of his security status as something long overdue. Reports indicate that the process to reconsider his threat level has already commenced, with a final decision expected in the coming month.

Since stepping back from frontline royal duties in 2020 and relocating to the United States with the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry’s security was reduced. He challenged this decision earlier in the year through a legal case, disputing the methods used by the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) committee, which oversees security provisions for senior members of the royal family on behalf of the Home Office. Ravec had determined that since Prince Harry would be visiting the UK less frequently, his security should be evaluated individually for each visit.

The duke’s legal team argued that the committee failed to properly re-assess the risks he faced back in 2020 and claimed he was subjected to “inferior treatment.” However, the court upheld the legality of the decision-making process, stating that Prince Harry’s dissatisfaction did not constitute grounds for a successful appeal. As a result, he remains outside the category that automatically receives the highest level of police protection extended to senior royals. After the ruling, Prince Harry described himself as “devastated” and remarked that returning to the UK with his wife and children “was impossible” under the current circumstances. Buckingham Palace stated that the matter had been “examined repeatedly and meticulously” by the courts, and a government spokesperson emphasized the rigor and proportionality of the UK’s protective security system while declining to reveal further details to preserve security integrity

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