The Duke of Sussex requested specific security protection after a threat was made against him by al Qaida, court documents have revealed.
Prince Harry, 40, attended the two-day appeal hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London last week for the latest stage of a legal battle with the Home Office over the level of taxpayer-funded personal security he should receive when visiting the UK.
In February 2020, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) decided he should receive a different degree of protection when in the country, and he is appealing against a High Court ruling dismissing his case against the Home Office over the decision last year.
Part of the hearing was heard in private and a summary of some of the evidence reveals that the Duke had made a request for protection following a threat from terrorists.
"The Appellant confirmed that he had requested certain protection after a threat was made against him by al Qaida," the document says.
© Getty ImagesHarry has previously said he faces a greater risk than his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, with "additional layers of racism and extremism".
He believes his family faces an "international threat" and has already highlighted that al Qaida had called for him to be killed.
Stepping back
Harry and his wife, Meghan, moved to the US in 2020 after stepping back as senior royals. They reside in Montecito in California with their children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
© GettyBut during the so-called "Sandringham summit" in January 2020, which outlined the terms of their new role, the Sussexes were told that they would not be able to retain full-time police protection.
Such protection is currently granted to the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.
It was decided by Ravec that the Duke and Duchess would instead receive a “bespoke” security service, whereby they would be required to give 30 days’ notice of any plans to travel to the UK, with each visit being assessed for threat levels and whether protection is needed.
In written submissions as part of the Prince's appeal, parts of which were redacted for confidentiality reasons, Shaheed Fatima KC, representing the Duke, said Ravec ruled in 2020 that "there is no basis for publicly funded security support for the duke and duchess within Great Britain".
© GettyAfter the decision, al Qaida called for Harry "to be murdered", and his security team was informed that the terrorist group had published a document which said his "assassination would please the Muslim community", Ms Fatima said.
The barrister told the appeal hearing that the Duke had been "singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment", adding that Harry "does not accept that 'bespoke' means 'better'."
The Home Office, which is legally responsible for Ravec's decisions, is opposing the appeal. A decision is expected in writing at a later date.
