Prince Harry is filing legal action against the Home Office over the February 2020 decision that his level of personal protection security would be reduced after he stopped working as a royal.
The Duke says he wants to take his children to visit them from the United States, but insists he and his family “can’t go home” because it’s too dangerous.
In requesting permission for a full judicial review of the security decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), which is the responsibility of the Interior Ministry, the Duke argued that he had been the victim of a “procedural injustice.” ”.
Shaeed Fatima QC, for Harry, told the court that “at that stage he did not know that the Royal House was involved at all” in the decision-making process, and he had been told it was “an independent decision”.
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The court heard there were “significant tensions” between Harry and the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young, at the time, and says he had no full knowledge of the RAVEC decision-making or make-up process.
Harry states that he believed his points were being “fully and adequately communicated to RAVEC,” but was denied the opportunity to present communications directly to the committee.
“He had a material prejudice … because his offer to pay (for security) was not transmitted to RAVEC before the decision was made,” Ms Fatima said in written communications.
“He does not know what else, as he communicated to the Royal House, was not completely / timely transmitted to RAVEC.
“He was deprived of the opportunity to comment on the appropriateness of the RAVEC process (and) the involvement of certain people in the RAVEC process before making the decision.
“It is arguable that if there had been a fair trial, RAVEC would have taken or could have made a different decision.”
Interior Ministry lawyers say RAVEC had a right to make the decision, which is that the duke’s security arrangements will be considered “case by case” and argue that permission should be denied for a full judicial review.
Sir James Eadie QC, on behalf of the Home Office, said in written arguments that any tension between Harry and Royal House officials is “irrelevant” to his change of status.
He says Harry believes he may have objected to Royal House officials being involved in the RAVEC decision, due to “tensions”, but he insisted the argument is “irrelevant”.
“The claimant’s inability even now to explain how a process of representations could or would have helped is astonishing,” Sir James said.
Parts of the court process are conducted in private due to the sensitive nature of the security details. Judge Swift has said he expects to issue his ruling before the end of July on whether a full judicial review can be done.