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16th Jan 2022

Prince Harry ‘fears family not safe in UK’ as he files claim over police protection

Danny Jones

The Duke’s US-based security does not have ‘adequate jurisdiction’ here

The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry “fears for his family’s safety” after the Home Office refused him the opportunity to pay for police protection upon returning to the UK.

The 37-year-old royal, who stepped back from his senior duties back in February 2021 – a decision which means he is no longer entitled to police security – has now called for a judicial review of the system in order to ensure his family’s safety.

The Duke says his private security team does not have “adequate jurisdiction” while working abroad and, therefore, cannot replace police protection in the UK, given their access to local intelligence and so on.

It is thought that Harry wants to personally fund police protection himself, a spokesperson stating that he wishes “not to impose on the taxpayer”, but that this offer has been rejected before when he last visited Sandringham back in January 2020.

In the same statement, his legal representative detailed how the claim for review was filed in September, with the aim “to challenge the decision-making behind the security procedures, in the hopes that this could be re-evaluated for the obvious and necessary protection required”.

As per the BBC, this application for judicial review follows a specific security incident in London back in July 2021, when the royal’s car was chased by photographers as he left a charity event.

Prince Harry’s claim was actually filed back in September, with an aim “to challenge the decision-making behind the security procedures, in the hopes that this could be re-evaluated for the obvious and necessary protection required”.

His legal team stated: “The UK will always be Prince Harry’s home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in. With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk”.

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