San Francisco Frontiers - Prince Harry in court to challenge UK security downgrade

The self-exiled royal entered the Royal Courts of Justice in central London around 9:30 am (0830 GMT), AFP reporters saw, where judges at the complex's Court of Appeal were to begin considering his case.

Following Harry's dramatic split with the royal family in 2020 and subsequent move to North America, the British government said he would no longer be given the "same degree" of publicly funded protection when in the UK.

But the 40-year-old prince took legal action against the interior ministry and, after his initial case was rejected last year, he has now brought the challenge before London's Court of Appeal.

Harry and his American wife Meghan are no longer classified as working royals following their acrimonious departure from the UK in 2020, which has left them largely estranged from the family.

They have started a new life in California but King Charles III's younger son has said security concerns have hampered his ability to visit home and he has only rarely returned to the UK for short visits.

- 'The UK is my home' -

"The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children," he said in a written statement read out by his lawyers at a hearing in 2023.

"That cannot happen if it's not possible to keep them safe. I cannot put my wife in danger like that and, given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm's way too."

Harry's mother, Princess Diana, was killed in a high-speed car crash in Paris in 1997 as she tried to escape paparazzi photographers.

Last week, the Court of Appeal said sections of the hearing, which is set to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, would be held in private due to security concerns.

Tuesday's hearing comes on the same day as "Confessions of a Female Founder", a new podcast by Harry's wife, was due to be launched.

- 'Singled out' -

The prince's legal battle centres on a February 2020 decision to downgrade his security, made by the UK's interior ministry and a committee that deals with the protection of royals and public figures.

Britain's High Court was previously told the decision followed a change in Harry's status after he stopped being a working member of the royal family.

The High Court ruled in February 2024 against Harry's case, saying the government had acted lawfully.

The prince's initial bid to appeal was refused in April 2024 and he was ordered to pay about £1,000,000 (1.17 million euros) in legal costs, according to The Times newspaper. H

owever, the following month, a judge said Harry could in fact challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

Harry's lawyers told the High Court he was "singled out" and treated "less favourably" in the committee's decision, claiming that alleged flaws made the downgrade "unlawful and unfair".

The government argued the committee was entitled to conclude Harry's protection should be "bespoke" and considered on a "case-by-case" basis.

Harry, who has taken several legal suits against British UK tabloid dailies, is also embroiled in a separate row over a charity he co-founded in southern Africa.

A bitter boardroom battle has seen the prince resign as patron of the Sentebale charity.

Its chair, Sophie Chandauka, has accused him of "bullying" and being involved in a "cover up".

Harry has in turn hit out at what he called "blatant lies" and the UK-based charity watchdog has launched an investigation.

H.Reyes--SFF