Prince Harry has reportedly cost taxpayers almost £100,000 during his security legal fight.
The Duke of Sussex is taking legal action over a decision not to allow him to pay for police protection for himself and his family when visiting from USA.
And between September last year and May 2022, the case cost a total of £90,095.79.
The sum includes £55,254 on the Government Legal Department and £34,824 on counsel.
Prince Harry
HENRY NICHOLLS
While a further £16.55 has landed on couriers, reports the Sun.
The revelations come after the Duke of Sussex won a bid to bring a High Court claim earlier this month against the Home Office over his security arrangements while in the UK.
In the first stage of the case, the duke’s lawyers asked Mr Justice Swift to grant permission for a full hearing to have a judge review the Home Office’s decision.
In a judgment last Friday, the High Court judge said the case could proceed, granting permission for part of Harry’s claim to have a judicial review.
Mr Justice Swift said: “The application for permission to apply for judicial review is allowed in part and refused in part.”
Harry and Meghan Markle
PA
The duke’s challenge concerns the February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) over his security, after being told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of personal protective security when visiting.
Harry’s legal team argued that the security arrangements set out in a letter from Ravec, and their application when he visited the UK in June 2021, were invalid due to “procedural unfairness” because he was not given an opportunity to make “informed representations beforehand”.
Shaheed Fatima QC, for the duke, told the court earlier this month: “He didn’t know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all … he was told it was an independent decision.”
But lawyers for the Home Office say Ravec was entitled to reach the decision it did, which is that Harry’s security arrangements will be considered on a “case by case” basis, and argue that permission for a full judicial review should be refused.
In a public judgment on Friday, Mr Justice Swift said the duke had brought the claim for judicial review on five grounds, four of which were “arguable” and were granted permission, with some parts of the grounds removed.
This means there will be a full High Court hearing to review the duke’s claim