Prince Harry's Court Cases Over UK Security Cost British Taxpayers $649,000: Report
Prince Harry's failed court cases over police protection in the U.K. reportedly cost British taxpayers just under $650,000.
The U.K. government reportedly spent a total of £514,128 ($649,000) battling two separate judicial review claims brought by the Duke of Sussex after his security was downgraded following his and his wife Meghan Markle's decision to step back from royal duties and move to California.
The Telegraph said it obtained the figures via a Freedom of Information request.
The amount reportedly included more than £180,000 ($227,000) for counsel and £320,000 ($400,000) for the Government Legal Department.
The bill also included £2,300 ($2,900) in court fees and almost £10,000 ($12,500) in e-disclosure.
RELATED: Biden Accused Of Giving Prince Harry ‘Special Treatment’ Amid Visa, Drug-Use Issue
(Photo : Matt Dunham - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
According to the outlet, Prince Harry -- who is estimated by Celebrity Net Worth to be worth $60 million -- racked up estimated legal expenses of over $1.2 million challenging the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) to remove his automatic right to U.K. police security during visits to his home country.
Prince Harry's lawyers argued that he was "singled out" by the decision. He also claimed that he offered to cover the costs of police protection but was rejected.
His legal team previously said the Duke of Sussex "does not feel safe" bringing his two children -- Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2 -- to the U.K.
RELATED: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Break Silence On Kate Middleton Cancer Diagnosis
However, in February, a British judge dismissed Prince Harry's legal challenge and upheld the RAVEC's decision regarding the status of his U.K. security arrangements.
In court documents cited by People, High Court judge Peter Lane said the court found no "unlawfulness" in the decision the RAVEC made in February 2020.
"The decision was not irrational. The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness," the judge said.
(Photo : Joern Pollex/Getty Images for Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023)
The judge also ruled that there was no "unlawfulness" in the British government's "bespoke" security arrangements for Prince Harry's visits to the U.K.
"The court has also found that there has been no unlawfulness on the part of RAVEC in respect of its arrangements for certain of the claimant's visits to Great Britain," Lane added.
Prince Harry has vowed to appeal the ruling.
"The Duke is not asking for preferential treatment, but for a fair and lawful application of RAVEC's own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others in accordance with RAVEC's own written policy," a legal spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said in a statement to People at the time.
The spokesperson added, "In February 2020, RAVEC failed to apply its written policy to The Duke of Sussex and excluded him from a particular risk analysis. The Duke's case is that the so-called 'bespoke process' that applies to him, is no substitute for that risk analysis."
According to the statement, Prince Harry hopes to "obtain justice" from the Court of Appeal.
(Photo : Handout/Sport Gives Back Awards via Getty Images)
The loss came months after Prince Harry won his phone hacking lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in December 2023.
The Duke of Sussex was awarded £140,600 ($178,255) after a court found that several Prince Harry-related articles by MGN titles involved phone hacking.
Prince Harry still has an ongoing privacy invasion lawsuit against News Group Newspapers.
A trial for the case could be held in January 2025.
