Prince Harry’s fight for police protection in his birth country is officially underway.
The start of his three-day hearing in London kicked off on Tuesday and while the redheaded royal was not in attendance, his attorney, Shaheed Fatima, argued against a decision made in February 2020 to strip him of taxpayer-funded police security when he visits Britain.
The decision, made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), occurred when he and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as “working royals.”
“This case is about the right to safety and security of a person. There could not be a right of greater importance to any of us,” Fatima said in court, according to Vanity Fair.
Harry’s attorneys told People in a statement Tuesday that RAVEC “should have considered the ‘impact’ that a successful attack on the claimant would have, bearing in mind his status, background and profile within the royal family — which he was born into and which he will have for the rest of his life. RAVEC should have considered, in particular, the impact on the U.K.’s reputation of a successful attack on the claimant.”
The Post has contacted reps for Harry for comment.
However, the Home Office claims protection for Harry and his family should be decided on a “case-by-case basis” since he’s no longer a “working member of the Royal Family and would be living abroad for the majority of the time.”
Harry even offered to pay for his protection across the pond, but lost that legal bid in May.
Following that ruling, a judge granted permission for a full hearing to take place that would review the Home Office’s decision to strip the Sussexes of security.
Despite Harry not being in the courtroom on Tuesday, he did make the trek to London for the trial.
The hearing is one of the five High Court claims Harry is involved in, another of which includes his legal bout with UK tabloids over alleged phone-hacking claims.
His trip comes after author Omid Scobie identified the two members of the royal family who expressed concern over his son Archie’s skin color in the Dutch version of his book “Endgame.”
Scobie allegedly claimed Harry’s father, King Charles, and his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, were the “racist royals.”
Royal experts have since allegedly urged the Sussexes to end their “deafening silence” and speak out in defense of Charles and Kate.
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