Prince Harry to be the first royal to threaten legal action against Queen's government

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (Samir Hussein/Wireimage)

Prince Harry has become the first member of the British royal family to threaten legal action against the United Kingdom government after asking that the government provide security for his family's visits to the country.

The Duke of Sussex has objected to the government's plan to remove his UK police security following his resignation as a senior member of the royal family in March 2020, stating that it has rendered his family's return to the UK "unsafe." According to Mail Online, his lawyers have sent a "pre-action" protocol letter to the Home Office over the matter, indicating that they are prepared to pursue the case through the courts if their request is denied.

Additionally, they mentioned an incident last year in which Harry's safety was "compromised due to the absence of police security as he exited a charity event." Paparazzi cameras reportedly pursued the 37-year-old prince as he exited a WellChild event in July 2021. He was in London with his brother Prince William to help install a statue for their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

According to the lawyers, it is too risky for the financially self-sufficient royal to return home because the private security he pays for in the United States "cannot mimic the requisite police protection" in the United Kingdom. As said in the statement, "The United Kingdom will always be Prince Harry's home and the country in which he wishes to raise his bride and children. Without police protection, there is an unacceptably high chance of bodily injury."

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex fund a private security team for their family, but that security cannot replace the necessary police protection while in the United Kingdom. Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his residence in the absence of such protection "Additionally, they stated.

The lawyers also clarified that Harry wants to cover the costs of providing police security for him, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie, two, and Lilibet, seven months, despite precedents that "those who have resigned from public office and pose an inherent threat risk receive police protection at no cost."

Concerning the danger to Harry's life, the legal representative continued, "Prince Harry was born with a life-long security risk. He remains sixth in line to the throne, fought two military tours in Afghanistan, and his family has faced well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats in recent years."

Additionally, the representative said that while Harry's job within the monarchy has evolved, neither his profile as a member of the royal family nor the threat he and his family have.

The disclosure of the judicial review application, which was submitted in September last year, comes amid rumors that the Sussexes are considering a trip to the UK for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. It is believed that the monarch was made aware of her grandson's complaint against her government.

The publication was informed of the situation by a source "In a word, Harry's argument is as follows: 'You got the law incorrect.' He believes that the decision to deactivate his security was made in error. Harry's attorneys delivered a pre-action protocol to the Home Office a few months ago. This is, in essence, a prelude to judicial review."

Publish : 2022-01-17 12:05:00

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