Prince Harry Set to 'Appeal' After Losing Lawsuit Against the Home Office for Security
Prince Harry's legal spokesperson announced the Duke of Sussex will 'appeal' his lawsuit against the Home Office.
Prince Harry is dealing with another public loss after a judge sided with the Home Office in his legal battle to maintain his security privileges. When the Duke of Sussex left the royal fold in 2020, he was stripped of his HRH status and personnel, and he sued the British government in an attempt to regain his state-funded guards.
Retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane delivered his verdict on Wednesday, February 28 after years of litigation.
"The Duke of Sussex will appeal today's judgment which refuses his judicial review claim against the decision-making body Ravec, which includes the Home Office, the Royal Household and the Met Police," a rep said in a statement.
"Although these are not labels used by Ravec, three categories — as revealed during the litigation — comprise the 'Ravec cohort': the Role Based Category, the Occasional Category and the Other VIP Category," the rep continued.
According to the father-of-two, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures is going against its policies by not acquiescing to his demands.
"The Duke is not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of Ravec's own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others in accordance with Ravec's own written policy," Harry's legal spokesperson explained. "In February 2020, Ravec failed to apply its written policy to the Duke of Sussex and excluded him from a particular risk analysis,"
"The Duke's case is that the so-called 'bespoke process' that applies to him, is no substitute for that risk analysis," they added. "The Duke of Sussex hopes he will obtain justice from the Court of Appeal, and makes no further comment while the case is ongoing."
The Home Office was happy to learn that Lane's decision was in their best interest.
"We are pleased that the Court has found in favor of the Government’s position in this case, and we are carefully considering our next steps. It would be inappropriate to comment further," the Home Office shared in a statement.
"The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate," they continued. "It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security."
OK! previously reported Harry shared in his 2023 witness statement that he felt pushed out of the monarchy.
"It was with great sadness for both of us that my wife and I felt forced to step back from this role and leave the country in 2020. The U.K. is my home," Harry said.
"The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the U.S.," the famous redhead stated.
Powered by RedCircle
The Duke of Sussex admitted that he wants his two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to spend time in England.
"That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe when they are on U.K. soil. I cannot put my wife in danger like that and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm’s way too," he added.
