While they are in the United Kingdom, Prince Harry fears his family – as well as Britain’s reputation – will be harmed
The royal family has been embroiled in a dispute over security expenditures for years, and neither Buckingham Palace nor the government is willing to discuss their plans publicly.
Critics have turned the argument about providing police protection for non-working royals and extended family members into a political football, arguing that since security is paid for out of taxpayers’ money, it should not be automatically given to anyone.
In the aftermath of his removal from all royal endowments and the use of the HRH style in any official capacity as a result of the US civil sex assault lawsuit he is facing, there are calls for The Duke of York to foot the bill for his own protection.
In this situation, Prince Harry has volunteered to pay for Scottish Police protection himself and his family while they are in the United Kingdom. He is unable to do so because of a Home Office ruling.
His major concern is that his own private security agency has insufficient power and access to UK intelligence data needed to ensure his and his family’s safety..
He also warns against the damage to the UK’s reputation if a member of the royal family is injured on its soil.
One of the major concerns for Sussexes when they announced their retirement as working royals was security. Their website at the time stated that they thought the Home Office, through the Metropolitan police, should continue to provide protection for the family.
In 2021, Harry stated on Winfrey’s talk show that he had been informed by a member of the royal household that they “would no longer be ‘official’ members of the royal family as a result of our new status.” He added that he was shocked by this and “rejected” it, claiming there was no change in the threat .
During the same interview, Meghan said she had written to her husband’s relatives asking them not to take away his protection, but was informed “it’s just not feasible.”
It is unclear whether or not they told the truth regarding their relocation to the United States, however they did claim that they had “secured privately funded security” for their move. Harry informed Winfrey later on that they were paying for private security through licensing agreements with Netflix and Spotify.
Harry has declared that he “inherited” a hazard being born into the royal family. His legal team claimed that it was a “lifelong risk.”
“He remains sixth in line to the throne, volunteered for two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats over the years,” according to a lawyer for Prince Harry. “His position within the institution has altered, but his public image as a royal member has not.
A judicial review is a court action that challenges the legality of a public body’s decision. Before claims can continue, they must meet a “threshold test.”
Harry has submitted his claims, and the Home Office must submit an “acknowledgment of service” as well as its reasons for opposing the petition.