The Court of Appeal has ruled that parts of Prince Harry's challenge over his UK security arrangements will be held in private.
The Duke of Sussex's appeal against a High Court ruling on his level of protection when visiting the UK is scheduled for April 8 and 9 in London.
The court has ordered that while submissions related to "non-confidential facts" will be heard in open court, discussions of sensitive security matters will be closed to the public and press.
Harry took legal action against the Home Office over the February 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec).
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The dispute concerns the level of taxpayer-funded protection he should receive when in the UK.
The High Court was told the decision was made following a change in the duke's "status" after he stopped being a "full-time working member of the Royal Family."
Retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane rejected Harry's case in February last year.
In an order published on Wednesday, Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis outlined how the hearing will proceed.
Harry launched legal action against the Home Office following a 2020 decision by Ravec over his security in the UKPAThe judges stated that opening submissions and arguments on "non-confidential facts" will be held in open court, accessible to the press and public.
However, portions of the hearing dealing with "confidential facts" will be private.
These private sessions will cover sensitive information about security arrangements, threat levels, and assessments for the duke and other public figures.
The judges explained their reasoning for this approach in clear terms.
The duke is fighting Ravec's 2020 decision that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UKGetty"It is obvious that such material would be of interest to anyone wishing to harm a person within the scope of the security arrangements, and that publicising it would risk jeopardising the effectiveness of those arrangements," they stated.
They emphasised that while some sensitive material is "entangled with less sensitive details," most of the appeal can be conducted publicly.
The court aims to adhere to "the open justice principle... as faithfully as possible in the particular circumstances of this case."
Harry was permitted to challenge Sir Peter's ruling in June last year.
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Prince Harry has said he is 'not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of Ravec’s own rules'ReutersHis lawyers previously argued in the High Court that he was "singled out" and treated "less favourably" in Ravec's decision.
They claimed there was a failure to carry out a risk analysis and fully consider the impact of a "successful attack" on him. This, they argued, meant the approach to his protection was "unlawful and unfair."
The Government, in response, argued that Ravec was entitled to conclude the duke's protection should be "bespoke". Officials maintained that Harry's security arrangements could be considered on a "case-by-case" basis.
This position contrasts with the duke's legal team's assertion that he was unfairly treated in the security decision-making process. The appeal hearing next week will determine whether the High Court's previous rejection of Harry's case was justified.
