British justice on Tuesday rejected Prince Harry’s request to use his personal funds to pay for his police protection while in the UK.
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Harry, Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan have lost the protections they were afforded from law enforcement at the expense of UK taxpayers after deciding to step down from the royal family in 2020.
The “Sussex”, who reside in California with their two children, enjoy private protection in the USA. But Harry argues that this security team cannot have access to the information needed to protect his family on British soil.
Harry therefore offered to pay the cost of his security by the police and requested that the Supreme Court challenge the Home Office’s refusal.
But on Tuesday, a judge closed the door on a trial, dismissing the prince’s arguments on several counts.
At a hearing in mid-May, the Home Office argued that it was “inappropriate” for wealthy people to “buy” protection, which might include armed officers, although it was decided that “the public interest does not warrant” that they receive protection based on public funding.
This appeal from Harry was the second to concern his safety. The other case is not yet closed.
Questions about his safety came to the fore again in mid-May when the prince and his wife were followed by car by paparazzi in New York.
There were different versions of the incident, but a source close to the couple claimed that the outcome of this “chase” could have been “fatal”.
Harry accuses the press and paparazzi of causing the August 31, 1997 car accident in Paris that killed his mother, Lady Di.
The prince is also conducting a legal offensive against several tabloids. According to the British press, he is expected to testify in person in June.