Claims that Prince Harry’s wish for full armed protection is “nailed on” and that his security in the UK will be reinstated have been dismissed by sources close to the government process reassessing the Duke’s threat level. The Duke of Sussex lost a legal challenge last year regarding the levels of security he and his family receive while in the UK, following their departure from the Royal Family. However, last month, the prince was granted a full risk assessment after a major U-turn by the Home Office, which saw Ravec, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, reassess his threat level for the first time in six years.
Last week, sources close to Harry claimed the camp is cautiously optimistic that his wish for full armed protection is “nailed-on” and “will be reinstated”. They told the Mail on Sunday: “It’s now a formality. Sources at the Home Office have indicated that security is now nailed-on for Harry.”
But now, Government sources have dismissed the claims and said that nothing has been finalised yet, as the process has not concluded.
Ravec’s risk management board (RMB) is set to present the reassessment to the committee later this month before a final decision is made.
A source told the Times: “I have no idea what the RMB recommendation to Ravec will be, but what I do know with certainty is that neither does anyone else, since they are still undertaking the review.
“On that basis, claims that a decision is already ‘nailed on’ seem more like an attempt to manipulate the media into manifesting an outcome from what will be a fair and rigorous review, but one that is very much still ongoing.
“Whoever is behind them must not realise how transparent and counterproductive to proper process that is.”
A government spokesperson told the newspaper: “The UK government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.”
A spokesman for the Duke of Sussex said: “We don’t comment on security matters.”
It comes as Prince Harry is set to travel to the UK this month. The Duke of Sussex will return to London to appear at his trial against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, which is scheduled to start on Monday, January 19.
Harry is one of seven claimants, including Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley and Baroness Lawrence.
