London: Prince Harry is set to learn the outcome of his appeal regarding the UK government’s decision to downgrade his police protection during visits to Britain. This decision is expected to be revealed on Friday, as indicated by court listings. The judges at the Court of Appeal are anticipated to deliver their verdict in the afternoon, following a significant two-day hearing in April, which saw Harry, 40, make a rare visit to London.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Prince Harry, the youngest son of King Charles III, distanced himself from the royal family in 2020 and relocated to the United States with his wife Meghan. This move was largely attributed to media scrutiny and other reasons. In the wake of his departure, the UK government revised his security arrangements, stating that he would not receive the “same degree” of publicly funded protection while in Britain. Instead, his security would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
After losing an initial legal challenge against the interior ministry, the Duke of Sussex filed an appeal, with his legal team claiming he was “singled out” for “unjustified and inferior treatment.” In their written submission, the lawyers highlighted incidents, including a “dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi in New York City” and threats from Al-Qaeda.
The forthcoming verdict could influence the frequency of Harry’s visits to Britain. The prince, who has been deeply affected by the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana, during a paparazzi chase, has cited security concerns as a reason for his limited visits to the UK since stepping down as a working royal and moving to California.
In early 2024, the High Court ruled against Harry’s challenge to the 2020 government decision, asserting that the government acted lawfully. His initial attempt to contest the decision was also denied in April last year, but a judge later allowed Harry to appeal the decision.
His lawyers argued that the committee responsible for the decision, which manages protection for royal and public figures, did not adequately assess the risks to the prince. Conversely, the government’s lawyer maintained that the security downgrade was due to “his change in status because he was now going to live abroad for the majority of his time.”