Prince Harry just hours away from learning verdict of UK security appeal
Prince Harry is hours away from finding out if his appeal for police protection in the UK has succeeded.
The Court of Appeal will hand down its verdict on Friday, May 2, at 2 p.m. local time, per multiple reports. The ruling will be delivered at London’s Royal Courts of Justice.
The Duke of Sussex has challenged a 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which downgraded his security after he and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal duties.
During a hearing last month, Harry’s legal team argued he was treated unfairly and placed in danger. Barrister Shaheed Fatima KC told the court his “safety, security and life are at stake.”
She claimed the Sussexes “felt forced to step back” from royal life, citing a lack of institutional protection. After Ravec’s decision, she said Harry received an assassination threat.
Harry’s lawyers argued Ravec used a “so-called ‘bespoke process,’” bypassing expert risk assessments. “The appellant does not accept that ‘bespoke’ means ‘better’,” Ms. Fatima stated.
The Home Office maintains the decision was lawful, citing Harry’s changed royal status. Their legal team said the appeal ignored the “totality of the picture,” and insisted the bespoke model “better suited” his current role.
