Mocobizscene – In a recent ruling, a London judge affirmed that Prince Harry was not unfairly deprived of publicly funded security during his visits to Britain following his decision to step down as a working member of the royal family and relocate to the United States. Justice Peter Lane of the High Court deemed the approach of providing security to Harry on a case-by-case basis as lawful, rational, and justified.
The Duke of Sussex asserted that he and his family were put at risk during their visit to the U.K. due to the hostility they faced on social media and the constant harassment from the news media. According to his lawyer, the government body responsible for assessing Harry’s security needs acted irrationally and neglected to follow their own protocols, which should have included a thorough analysis of the duke’s safety.
According to a government lawyer, Harry has been treated fairly and continues to receive protection during certain visits. As an example, the lawyer mentioned an incident in June 2021 where Harry was pursued by photographers after attending an event with seriously ill children at Kew Gardens in west London. During this incident, Harry was accompanied by a security detail for his safety.
According to attorney James Eadie, the committee responsible for rejecting his security request took into account the profound impact of the “tragic death” of his mother, the late Princess Diana, on the nation. In their decision-making process, they placed greater emphasis on the potential for significant public distress in the event of a successful attack on her son.
Harry, who is 39 years old, has deviated from the long-standing tradition of the royal family by displaying his readiness to take legal action against the government and confront tabloid newspapers. His objective is to ensure that publishers are held responsible for their relentless pursuit of him over the years.
Harry has brought six cases in the High Court, including three related to his security arrangements and three against tabloid publishers for allegedly hacking phones and using private investigators to snoop on his life for news stories.
In his inaugural trial case, Harry achieved a significant triumph last year by prevailing against the publisher of the Daily Mirror in a lawsuit involving phone hacking claims. He not only secured a favorable judgment in court but also reached a settlement for the remaining allegations that were slated for trial. The terms of the settlement were undisclosed, but Harry was entitled to full reimbursement of his legal expenses and an interim payment of £400,000 ($505,000).
Prince Harry has decided to withdraw his libel case against the Daily Mail. The article in question alleged that he attempted to conceal his attempts to receive government-funded security. However, the Prince dropped the case when a judge determined that the publisher had the ability to demonstrate that the statements made on his behalf were misleading. Additionally, the judge stated that the article from February 2022 was an “honest opinion” and did not constitute libel.
Harry was unsuccessful in his attempt to convince another judge last year that he should have the option to personally fund the London police force to provide him with security when he visits the city. Despite his plea, the judge rejected his proposal after a government attorney argued against the idea, stating that police officers should not be utilized as “private bodyguards for the affluent.”
