Prince Harry Takes a Stand Against UK’s Decision to Remove Security
December 5, 2023Prince Harry’s attorney Shaheed Fatima argued in court Tuesday that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), responsible for assessing his security needs, acted unfairly and irrationally.
“RAVEC should have considered the ‘impact’ that a successful attack on the claimant would have, bearing in mind his status, background and profile within the royal family — which he was born into and which he will have for the rest of his life,” Fatima said.
“RAVEC should have considered, in particular, the impact on the U.K.’s reputation of a successful attack on the claimant,” she added.
Harry has claimed previously that his safety is at risk, citing social media hostility and persistent media attention. He blames paparazzi for the 1997 crash that killed his mother, Princess Diana, when her chauffeur-driven car attempted to speed away from Paris photographers.
In 2022, it was reported that Harry and Meghan were the targets of credible threats from far-right extremists, according to Britain’s former counter-terrorism police chief Neil Basu.
Harry was absent during Tuesday’s opening remarks in the three-day hearing at London’s High Court.
The 39-year-old prince previously sought to privately fund a London police detail to guard him, but the request was denied, with the government arguing against using officers as “private bodyguards for the wealthy.”
This new case is in addition to four others Prince Harry has currently pending in the High Court, all of which revolve around prominent British tabloids.
One of the lawsuits, expected to be settled Friday, accuses the publisher of the Daily Mail of libel for a story implying that Prince Harry attempted to conceal his endeavors to maintain government-funded security.