PRINCE Harry today lamented that he was “forced to leave” his UK home as he fought a battle for his safety.
The Duke of Sussex is challenging the decision to scale back his publicly funded security detail after stepping down as an active royal in 2020.
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Prince Harry said he had been forced to ‘step down’ from royal duties for life in the US Credit: AFP
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Harry added that he left the UK to protect his wife Meghan Markle and their childrenCredit: Alexi Lubomirski
The Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) decided that he should no longer have the same level of security as senior members of the royal family.
But his legal team says there was a lack of transparency and that the usual risk analysis was not applied.
In a statement read out at the High Court today, Harry said he felt forced to leave the UK after the security downgrade.
He said: “It was with great sadness for both of us that my wife and I felt compelled to step down from this role and leave the country in 2020.
“The United Kingdom is my home. The United Kingdom is central to my children’s heritage and a place I want them to feel as much at home as where they currently live in the United States.
“That cannot happen if there is no way for them to be safe while on UK soil.
“I can’t expose my wife to danger like that, and given my life experiences, I hesitate to unnecessarily expose myself to danger.”
Harry was not in court and the statement was read on his behalf.
At today’s hearing, the prince’s lawyer Shaheed Fatima KC said Harry had not accepted that it was a “choice” for him to stop being a “full-time member of the royal family”.
Earlier, the lawyer said Ravec should have considered the wider impact on the UK’s reputation if he was attacked.
She said: “She failed to treat the prosecutor the way she treated others.
“The plaintiff was not told how he was treated and why.”
The Duke was “singled out” by a body that “acted irrationally”, the court heard.
However, the Home Office says he was given “bespoke” treatment to suit his unique circumstances.
Sir James Eadie KC told the court: “As a result of the fact that he will no longer be a working member of the Royal Family and will be living abroad most of the time, his position has changed significantly.
“In these circumstances, protective security would not be provided on the same basis as before.”
The Duke’s team say his private security reported the problems to the Met after he was “stopped by paparazzi” at the WellChild 2021 event.
But Sir James said the details were not provided within the required 28-day deadline.
He added that the duke “is now aware of the importance of giving notice and has generally given the intended itinerary”.
Meghan and Harry stepped down from royal duties in March 2020 when they moved to the United States.
However, their initial statement did not say they were forced out – rather they chose to leave.
It read: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have decided to make the transition this year and begin shaping a progressive new role within this institution.
“We intend to retire as ‘senior’ members of the royal family and work towards becoming financially independent while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.
“It is with your encouragement, especially over the last few years, that we feel ready to make this adjustment.”
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Queen Camilla, King Charles, William and Kate pictured at a function this weekCredit: AFP
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