Prince Harry is challenging a government decision that prevents him from personally paying for police protection when he and his family visit the UK.
A legal representative for Harry, the Duke of Sussex, released a statement Saturday about his choice to seek a judicial review, in which a court will examine whether the decision to bar him from paying for police protection out of pocket was made fairly.
Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to their home in the absence of such protection.
When the duke and the duchess decided to step back from working in the royal family in January 2020, they lost their UK taxpayer-funded security. The representative said that Harry offered to pay for police protection, but that the request was not approved by the UK Home Office.
Prince Harry has a security risk for the rest of his life. He is sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and his family has been subject to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats. His profile as a member of the Royal Family has not changed despite his role within the institution changing. The threat to him and his family has not been made.
After moving to the US following their departure from the royal family, Harry,Meghan, and their son, Archie, hired their own security team. The private team can't legally provide the level of protection they need in the UK according to their representative.
Harry took legal action because his security was compromised when he left a charity event because he didn't have police protection. The duke is willing to cover the cost of security, but not the British taxpayer, according to a representative.
Extremist groups in the UK as well as others fixated on the controversy around their leaving are threats to the Sussexes.
Some people who have left public office and have an inherent threat receive police protection at no cost to them. The legal representative said that the goal for Prince Harry has been to make sure the safety of himself and his family while in the UK so his children can know his home country.
He sought a judicial review in September of 2021 to challenge the decision-making behind the security procedures, in the hopes that this could be re-examined for the obvious and necessary protection required.
Lilibet, the new daughter of the couple, has not returned to the UK since the split.
Prince Harry wants his family to be safe in the UK and he wants it to be his home. The lack of police protection is too great a personal risk. The representative said that Prince Harry hopes that his petition will resolve the situation.
In the couple's interview with Oprah in March 2021, they talked about the stress they felt after learning they'd be losing their security team.
I wrote to his family to say that the protection of me or Archie was not a priority. I accept that. That is fine. Please keep my husband safe. I know about the death threats. I can see the propaganda. Please keep him safe. " Please don't pull his security and announce to the world when he and we are most vulnerable,'" she said at the time. They said it's not possible.
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