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Prince Harry Appears in Court Over Security Downgrade

Prince Harry made a court appearance to address the controversy surrounding the reduction of his security measures. In January 2020, he and his wife, Meghan Markle, announced their intention to “step back as senior members of the Royal Family.” During the court proceedings, their legal representatives asserted that the couple felt compelled to withdraw from their roles due to perceived inadequacies in the protection provided by the royal institution.

The attorneys for the Duke and Duchess also expressed the couple’s desire to remain involved in supporting the late Queen as privately funded members of the Royal Family, indicating that their commitment to royal duties persisted despite their departure from senior roles.

According to the couple’s legal team, discussions regarding their security took place shortly after their announcement in a meeting at Buckingham Palace, yet it was claimed that the matter was not formally addressed in any Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) meetings.

Following the decision to retract their royal security detail, Prince Harry initiated legal proceedings against the Home Office concerning the February 2020 determination that halted his publicly funded police protection. Although he faced an initial setback in court, he was granted the opportunity to appeal, with the argument focusing on the assertion that RAVEC’s decision to remove his security breached established policy, as detailed by The New York Times reports.

As Prince Harry escalates his legal challenge, attorney Shadeed Fatima KC is pressing the court to recognize that the U.K. government failed to adequately assess the risks faced by Harry and his family and did not consult the Risk Management Board (RMB) prior to their decision. The Duke has described this process as having left him feeling “singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment.”

In a poignant letter penned in February 2020, Prince Harry reflected on the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, who lost her life in a car accident while being pursued by paparazzi. He conveyed his family’s heightened sense of vulnerability, citing “additional layers of racism and extremism” as factors contributing to their feelings of danger.

The ongoing hearing is scheduled to proceed on April 9, as the legal battle over the issues of security and royal treatment continues to unfold.

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