As Prince Harry fights for police protection, here's how much his legal tussle costs taxpayers
2 min read . Updated: 21 Feb 2023, 02:48 PM IST
Premium- After Prince Harry and Meghan Markel decided to leave the royal family and live in the United States, the UK government was fast to strip them of many rights provided to royal family members
In the legal battle between Prince Harry and the UK government, it is the taxpayers of the country who are losing money. After Prince Harry and Meghan Markel decided to leave the royal family and live in the United States, the UK government was fast to strip them of many rights provided to royal family members, prompting the young Prince to file for judicial review.
Prince Harry became the first member of the royal family to file a case against the UK government, following its decision to not allow the couple to use public funds for royal duties, and the right to a royal police escort was also denied to the couple.
According to information obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, the taxpayers of the UK have lost £296,882 ($357,000) in the legal battle.
The representative of Prince Harry informed in 2021 that the objective of the legal case is “to ensure the safety of himself and his family while in the UK so his children can know his home country."
“Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life. He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats," the statement said.
“While [Prince Harry’s] role within the Institution has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family," it added.
In February 2022, the court heard the arguments of Price Harry where he claimed that he want to bring his children- son Archie and daughter Lilibet on a visit to the UK but couldn't as it is too dangerous.
“This claim is about the fact that the claimant does not feel safe when he is in the UK given the security arrangements that were applied to him in June 2021 and will continue to be applied to him if he returns," Prince Harry's lawyer said.
“And, of course, it should go without saying that he wants to come back: to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart. Most of all, this is, and always will be, his home," the lawyer added.