Prince Harry has officially touched down in London and made his way to the Royal Courts of Justice, where he is appealing a decision regarding his UK security arrangements.
The Duke of Sussex arrived in the British capital on Sunday, just hours before his father, King Charles, departed for a state visit to Italy with Queen Camilla. While both men were briefly in London at the same time, a reunion was not possible, as the King had private engagements scheduled.
On Tuesday morning, Harry was seen arriving at the central London court, dressed in a smart navy suit, crisp white shirt, and a patterned blue tie. He offered a wave to waiting photographers as he entered the building for the start of the two-day hearing.
The 40-year-old royal is challenging a February 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which ruled that he would no longer receive the same level of taxpayer-funded security after stepping back from royal duties.
The Home Office has argued that Ravec acted within its rights, insisting that Harry’s protection should now be provided on a “bespoke, case-by-case” basis due to his change in royal status. The High Court previously ruled against Harry in February 2023, with retired judge Sir Peter Lane concluding that Ravec’s approach was neither irrational nor procedurally unfair.
However, Harry’s legal team claims the process was flawed. His barrister, Shaheed Fatima KC, told the Court of Appeal on Tuesday that Ravec failed to follow its own terms of reference. She argued that the committee made its decision without consulting the Risk Management Board (RMB)—a specialist body meant to provide expert assessments.
“The appellant does not accept that ‘bespoke’ means ‘better’,” Fatima stated. “In fact, it means he has been singled out for different, unjustified, and inferior treatment.”
She added that Ravec’s decision process wrongly considered Harry’s reasons for attending events, which she argued is irrelevant when assessing personal security risks. While acknowledging that Harry isn’t demanding his former level of protection outright, she stressed that he should at least be evaluated under the same criteria as other individuals considered for protective services.
Fatima further noted that Ravec’s failure to involve the RMB meant they lacked the expert insight needed to determine if Harry should fall under the “other VIP” category. “Had the judge properly evaluated the evidence,” she said, “he would have come to that conclusion.”
The case continues over the next two days, as Prince Harry seeks to overturn what he claims was a fundamentally unfair decision about his personal safety while in the UK.
