A court has heard that Prince Harry and Buckingham Palace went head to head over the decision for his security to be downgraded despite Prince Harry choosing to walk away from royal duties in 2020.
According to Nine, The Queen’s top aid, Sir Edward Young, was allegedly involved in the controversial decision to strip Prince Harry of police protection – a decision Harry’s lawyer, Shaheed Fatima QC, says should not have been applicable.
Fatima told the court there had been “significant tensions between the claimant and Sir Edward Young”, a statement which the Judge, Justice Swift, questioned.
“That is quite a bold submission to make,” Swift stated.
The official decision to deny Harry police protection in 2020 was made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).
The Prince’s legal team concludes that Harry was not informed of the involvement of members of the Royal Household and therefore, the decision was “materially prejudiced”.
According to Harry’s lawyer, Fatima, “He [The Prince] didn’t know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all”.
Fatima also revealed that Prince Harry had, in fact, offered to pay for his own police protection after being denied by the palace but that the offer hadn’t been communicated to Ravec.
Government lawyers for the palace deny the offer ever took place, “but insisted it would have been rejected as a matter of principle”, according to Nine.
Speaking on the controversial matter, Sir James Eadie QC for the Home office, said Prince Harry “should not be permitted to simply demand security” despite not possessing the funds to afford it.
As revealed by Nine, “Lawyers for the Home Office say Ravec was entitled to make the decision it did which was to provide police protection to Prince Harry and Meghan on a case-by-case basis when they visit the UK”.
Prince Harry, however, asserts the decision was made unfairly and is currently seeking a judicial review of the decision to strip him and his wife of police protection in the UK.
The Judge is expected to make a decision within the coming weeks.