Steerpike Steerpike

Prince Harry loses his police protection legal challenge

Getty

It turns out that Home Office can get some things right. The department’s lawyers have today triumphed in their battle to thwart Prince Harry’s legal challenge over his right to make private payments for police protection. Legal eagles for the renegade royal wanted a judicial review of the rejection of his offer to pay for protection in the UK, after his security arrangements changed when the prince stopped being a ‘working royal’ in 2020.

But this morning a High Court judge ruled that Harry could not also seek a judicial review over whether to let him pay for the specialist police officers himself. Poor lamb. The decision came after Metropolitan Police chiefs told the the court that their officers are not ‘guns for hire’ for the rich and famous. They maintained that allowing Harry to pay for the protection of officers – potentially armed ones – would set an ‘unacceptable precedent’.

Steerpike
Written by
Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

Topics in this article

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in