Prince Harry: Duke of Sussex granted appeal in UK personal security ruling after High Court dismissal

The Duke of Sussex has been granted the right to appeal the dismissal of his High Court challenge against changes to his personal security arrangements during visits to the UK.

Prince Harry initiated legal proceedings against the Home Office following a February 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec). This decision altered the level of taxpayer-funded protection he would receive while in the UK.

In February, retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled against Harry, finding that Ravec's decision was neither irrational nor procedurally unfair. He criticised Harry's legal team for taking an “inappropriate, formalist interpretation of the Ravec process” and stated that the "bespoke" security arrangement devised in February 2020 was legally sound.

Despite this ruling, Lord Justice Bean issued an order on May 23 allowing Harry to challenge Sir Peter's decision at the Court of Appeal. Sir Peter’s 52-page judgment, which was partially redacted, highlighted the views of Sir Richard Mottram, former chairman of Ravec. Mottram stated that even if he had been presented with all of Harry's legal arguments at the time, he "would have reached the same decision for materially the same reasons."

Ravec, which operates under the Home Office's authority, is responsible for the protective security arrangements of royal family members and other public figures, with contributions from the Metropolitan Police, the Cabinet Office, and the royal household.

Following the earlier ruling, a spokesperson for Prince Harry announced his intention to appeal, saying: “The Duke is not seeking preferential treatment, but a fair and lawful application of Ravec’s rules to ensure he receives the same consideration as others, in line with Ravec’s written policy.”

They further explained that, in February 2020, “Ravec failed to apply its written policy to the Duke of Sussex, excluding him from a specific risk analysis.” The Duke contends that the "bespoke process" created for him does not adequately replace the standard risk analysis.

The spokesperson added: “The Duke of Sussex hopes he will obtain justice from the Court of Appeal, and makes no further comment while the case is ongoing.”