Prince Harry back in court for final day of security appeal

A London court heard Prince Harry believes the “manifestly inferior” bodyguards provided to his family in Britain after the plug was pulled on taxpayer-funded security put them in jeopardy.

Prince Harry’s “life is at stake” and he has experienced a “manifestly inferior” process in the handling of security arrangements when visiting the UK, his barrister claimed.

The Duke of Sussex, who flew from California at the beginning of the week, was in London’s Court of Appeal for the second day of the hearing into the matter on Wednesday local time (Thursday AEST).

Prince Harry arrives at the Court of Appeal in London for day two of his hearing about being provided taxpayer-funded security when visiting the UK. @theheraldsun@dailytelegraph@[e-mail]/6rNTD7P3kF

— Sophie Elsworth (@sophieelsworth) April 9, 2025

The 40 year old claimed he and his family, including wife Meghan, 43, and two children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, were at risk without being provided taxpayer-funded security when visiting Britain.

“There is a person who is sitting behind whose safety, security, life is at stake,” the Duke’s barrister Shaheed Fatima KC told the courtroom.

“There is a person behind me who has been told he is getting special bespoke security when he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior.”

Prince Harry arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to attend court for his appeal against the reduction of his security detail during family visits to the UK. Picture: Supplied

Several hours of day two of the hearing were held in secret and it wasn’t until the court resumed just after 4pm local time that Sir Geoffrey Vos, one of the three judges hearing the case, announced the end of the proceedings and said a judgment would be handed down at a later date.

Earlier in the day Sir James Eadie KC, the barrister representing the Home Office, said: “There is no proper process for challenging the decision that a bespoke position was appropriate.

“What mattered was the substance of how they were going to deal with the unique set of circumstances.”

Prince Harry's lawyer outlined in court threats made against him, including calls for his murder, as the royal appealed against an "unjustified" decision to restrict his police protection in the UK. Picture: AFP

While sitting in the courtroom beside his solicitor Jenny Afia, the Duke took notes on a notepad and shared numerous post-it notes with her.

At times he was seen texting on his iPhone and at one point let out a loud sigh as debate continued over his access to government-funded security.

When the court was adjourned for lunch and the Duke was leaving the courtroom, a member of the public yelled, “I support you Harry” and then turned to the media pack and said: “If you’re members of the press, you’re the reason he’s no longer in England.”

Shortly after this outburst she was ushered out of the courtroom and was not allowed to return for the remainder of the proceedings.

The prince was again surrounded by security during his court appearance in London. Picture: Supplied

The Duke of Sussex smiled at wellwishers. Picture: Supplied

The Duke appealed a court ruling last year that determined the British government was permitted to remove his police protection while in the UK.

It is his first visit to the UK since September and it’s unclear if he has met with any members of his family while in Britain.

He arrived on the same day King Charles and Queen Camilla flew to Rome for a four-day state visit to Italy.

On day one of the hearing, Ms Fatima told the court the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) did not get an assessment from an expert specialist body when it changed security arrangements for the Prince when he moved to Canada and the US in 2020. Instead they followed a “bespoke” process for necessary security, she said.

Originally published as Prince Harry back in court for final day of security appeal