Prince Harry becomes first royal to threaten legal action against Queen's Government

Prince Harry has become the first member of the British royal family to threaten legal action against the United Kingdom government after he demanded for them to provide security to his family when they visit the country.

The Duke of Sussex has protested the government's decision to remove his UK police security after he quit as a senior member of the royal family in March 2020, claiming that it has made it "unsafe" for his family to return to the UK without it. His lawyers have written a "pre-action" protocol letter to the Home Office regarding the matter, which suggests that they are willing to take the judicial route if their request is not accepted, reports Mail Online.

They also cited an incident where Harry's safety was "compromised due to the absence of police protection, whilst leaving a charity event" last year. The 37-year-old royal was reportedly chased by paparazzi photographers as he made his exit from an event for WellChild in July 2021, when he had visited London to join his brother Prince William in unveiling a statue of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

The lawyers said that it is too dangerous for the financially-independent royal to come home as the private security he pays for in the United States "cannot replicate the necessary police protection whilst in the UK." The statement read, "The UK will always be Prince Harry's home and a country he wants his wife and children to be safe in. With the lack of police protection, comes too great a personal risk."

"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," they added.

The lawyers also clarified that Harry wants to pay the costs incurred in providing the police security to him and his wife Meghan Markle, and their two children- Archie, two, and Lilibet, seven months, even though there have been precedents that "those who have left public office and have an inherent threat risk receive police protection at no cost to them."

About the threat to Harry's life, the legal representative added, "Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life. 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."

The rep further explained that while Harry's role within the monarchy has changed, his profile as a member of the royal family has not, nor has the threat to him and his family.

The revelation about the bid for a judicial review, which was filed in September last year, comes amid reports that the Sussexes are planning to make a trip to the UK for the Platinum Jubilee celebration of the Queen's reign. The monarch is understood to have been made aware of her grandson's complaint against her government.

A source told the outlet about the issue, "Harry's argument in a nutshell is: 'You got the law wrong.' He feels the decision to remove his security was wrong. Pre-action protocol was sent by Harry's lawyers to the Home Office a couple of months ago. This is essentially a precursor to a judicial review."