Prince Harry claims it is too dangerous for the Sussexes to visit the UK along with his wife and children under the current security arrangements.
Harry wants to protect his family but not just with bodyguards — with guns.
For months, the Duke of Sussex has been petitioning the UK government to allow him to pay for police protection for himself and his family while they are in the country.
The former prince was stripped of police security when he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from life as working members of the royal family in 2020. But now he is willing to pursue legal action in order to get it back.
Harry’s lawyers filed a request for a judicial review of the UK Home Office’s decision to bar the Sussexes from police protection on January 16. Depending on the results of the review, the matter could go before a High Court judge.
In response to what the Sussexes’ spokesperson called “a leak in a UK tabloid, with surreptitious timing,” they quickly released a statement to set “the facts right.”
“Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life,” the spokesperson said. “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. While his 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.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.”
“As is widely known, others who have left public office and have an inherent threat risk receive police protection at no cost to them. The goal for Prince Harry has been simple – to ensure the safety of himself and his family while in the UK so his children can know his home country,” said the spokesperson.
Harry has made it clear that he will not bring his wife or children to the UK unless he has proper police protection. Should he be allowed to pay for police security, it could give other high-profile, private individuals to make their own legal challenges.
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