Prince Harry has vowed to launch an appeal against the High Court's ruling on his security battle with the Home Office.
The Duke of Sussex suffered a crushing defeat this morning as the judge ruled in favour of the 2020 decision made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).
Harry has now released a new statement following the court's verdict.
A legal spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said: "The Duke of Sussex will appeal today’s judgment which refuses his judicial review claim against the decision-making body Ravec, which includes the Home Office, the Royal Household and the Met Police.
Harry has now released a new statement following the court's verdict.
PA
"Although these are not labels used by Ravec, three categories – as revealed during the litigation – comprise the ‘Ravec cohort’: the Role Based Category, the Occasional Category and the Other VIP Category.
"The Duke is not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of Ravec’s own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others in accordance with Ravec’s own written policy.
"In February 2020, Ravec failed to apply its written policy to the Duke of Sussex and excluded him from a particular risk analysis.
"The duke’s case is that the so-called ‘bespoke process’ that applies to him, is no substitute for that risk analysis.
"The Duke of Sussex hopes he will obtain justice from the Court of Appeal, and makes no further comment while the case is ongoing.”
Prince Harry has vowed to launch an appeal against the High Court's ruling on his security battle with the Home Office.
PA
Harry was fighting Ravec's 2020 decision that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.
However, the court found there had not been any unlawfulness in reaching the decision of February 28 2020 and that any departure from policy was justified.
The court has also found that there has been no unlawfulness on the part of Ravec in respect of its arrangements for Prince Harry's visits to the UK following the 2020 decision.
The Duke of Sussex had challenged the Home Office over his right to automatic police protection in the UK after he was stripped of taxpayer-funded security.
Harry had been told he would no longer receive the “same degree” of protection when in the UK from 2020.
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Today's decision means the level of Prince Harry's taxpayer-funded personal security will not change when he travels to the country in the future.
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Harry had been told that he would no longer receive the “same degree” of protection when in the UK from 2020.
Today's decision means the level of Prince Harry's taxpayer-funded personal security will not change when he travels to the country in the future.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: "We are pleased that the Court has found in favour of the Government’s position in this case, and we are carefully considering our next steps. It would be inappropriate to comment further.]
"The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate.
"It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security."
