A judge rules the Duke of Sussex was not entitled to publicly-funded security while in U.K. in 2020 after he resigned as a working royal along with his wife Meghan Markle.
- May 24, 2023
AceShowbiz - Prince Harry has failed in his bid to legally challenge the British government's decision not to allow him to pay for police protection when he's in the UK. The 38-year-old royal had filed an appeal against the decision to refuse the royal's request for police protection.
Judge Martin Chamberlain, however, issued a written ruling on Tuesday, May 23 morning that stated that the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) were not wrong to decide that Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children should no longer be granted publicly-funded security in 2020 after they stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family.
The High Court ruled that Harry was not entitled to a judicial review over whether he could fund police protection himself.
Harry losing the bid comes a week after Harry and Meghan were involved in a paparazzi car chase. The couple were pursued by photographers through the streets of New York on May 16 after they left the Ziegfeld Theater in midtown Manhattan.
A representative for the couple said they had been involved in a "near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi." They continued, "This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers. While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety."
Harry and Meghan, who have son Archie, four, and 23-month-old daughter Lilibet together, said on Sunday, May 21 it was "abhorrent" to suggest their New York car chase was a publicity stunt. Their spokeswoman added that "one would have to think nothing of the couple" to believe the claim, and warned Harry had phone footage which might "turn out to be useful" if there is an investigation by police.
In comparison, Prince Andrew - who was fired as a working royal because of a scandal involving convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein - continued to be protected by taxpayer-funded security until 2022 when it's reported that King Charles "might" use his private money to fund his disgraced brother's security.
Similar rumors surfaced in 2020, suggesting Queen Elizabeth would use her own money to hire security for Andrew after he was no longer a working royal. It wasn't until, after Queen's death, that it was finally revealed the public-funded security was never recalled from Andrew's side.
Despite the damning accusation, Andrew also continued to enjoy the luxury of a working royal such as living in a property owned by the Crown Estate. Although he was kicked out of Royal Lodge in Windsor, he was handed the keys to Frogmore Cottage by King Charles after Prince Harry was kicked out of the house by his father.
"Despite being involved in an embarrassing scandal, accused of having sexually abused a young woman, nobody had suggested removing his security. People may have a lot of grievances towards us, but sexual offenses weren't one of them," Prince Harry previously said.
