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Prince Harry wearing shirt, blazer and tie at court© Getty

Prince Harry escorted by bodyguards in dramatic turn of events at court hearing - live updates

The Duke of Sussex is challenging the Home Office over his security

Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
Updated: April 9, 2025
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The Duke of Sussex was dramatically escorted out of the courtroom by his bodyguards as a supporter disrupted proceedings on the second day of his security challenge.

As the room at the Royal Courts of Justice in London was cleared early for the private part of the hearing, a member of the public shouted her support for Prince Harry, adding: "If you're members of the press, you're the reason he's no longer in England."

According to The Daily Mail, Harry was hurried out of the courtroom by his two bodyguards, while the woman was led out of the building separately by court security.

Only after she had been escorted from the court did the Duke return to the room for the rest of the hearing.

Harry, wearing a navy suit and a striped tie, arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London shortly before 10.10am on Wednesday.

The Duke did not answer questions from reporters, only giving a small wave upon arrival. Watch below...

WATCH: Prince Harry returns to court for second day of security hearing

He is challenging the dismissal of his High Court legal action against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of taxpayer-funded protection when in the country.

Last year, retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled that Ravec's decision, taken in early 2020 after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit as senior working royals, was not irrational or procedurally unfair.

In written submissions read out by his barrister on the first day of the hearing on Tuesday, the court was told that Harry and Meghan "felt forced to step back" as senior working royals in 2020.

Prince Harry waves outside court© Getty
Prince Harry waved upon arrival

Shaheed Fatima KC, for the Duke, said: "On 8 January 2020, (the Duke) and his wife felt forced to step back from the role of full time official working members of the royal family as they considered they were not being protected by the institution, but they wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of the royal family."

'Singled out'

During Tuesday’s hearing, the Duke's barrister said that Ravec came up with a "different and so-called 'bespoke process'" for Harry.

She continued: "The appellant does not accept that 'bespoke' means 'better'. In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment."

Prince Harry wearing a suit for arrival at court© Getty Images
Prince Harry attended the second day of his security hearing in London

Ms Fatima told judges that the bespoke process involves Ravec considering why Harry would attend a particular event "even though that is plainly irrelevant to the question of security".

The status of Prince Harry's legal claims

Challenge against the Home Office over UK security arrangements

In 2024, a High Court judge dismissed Harry's claim against the Home Office over security arrangements for himself and his family when they are in the UK.

The Duke challenged a February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which falls under the remit of the department, after being told he would no longer be given the "same degree" of personal protective security when visiting.

Harry's lawyers said he was "singled out" and treated "less favourably" in the decision, arguing a failure to carry out a risk analysis and fully consider the impact of a "successful attack" on him meant the approach to his protection was “unlawful and unfair".

The Government argued Ravec was entitled to conclude the Duke's protection should be "bespoke" and considered on a "case-by-case" basis.

Retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled that Ravec's approach was not irrational nor procedurally unfair, claiming Harry's lawyers had taken "an inappropriate, formalist interpretation of the Ravec process".

Harry was given permission to challenge Sir Peter's ruling in June last year. The appeal against the ruling is being heard on 8 to 9 April in London.

Unlawful information-gathering allegations against Associated Newspapers

Harry is one of seven high-profile people, including Sir Elton John and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, bringing legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail over allegations it carried out or commissioned unlawful information gathering.

The firmly denied allegations against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) include the hiring of private investigators to place listening devices inside cars; the "blagging" of private records; and the accessing and recording of private phone conversations.

At a preliminary hearing, the publisher asked a judge to rule in its favour without a trial – arguing the legal challenges against it were brought "far too late".

The Duke made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the proceedings in March 2023, where his lawyers argued that those bringing legal action were "thrown off the scent" and not aware of being targeted, having believed "categorical denials" from ANL over any involvement in unlawful activity.

Mr Justice Nicklin ruled in November 2023 that the publisher had failed to deliver a "knockout blow" to the early-stage legal challenges, allowing them to continue.

The full trial could be held in early 2026.

Settlement with News Group Newspapers

Harry alleged he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN), which publishes The Sun and published the now-defunct News Of The World.

Shortly before an up-to-10-week trial was due to begin earlier this year, the Duke and NGN reached an agreement including a "full and unequivocal apology" and "substantial" damages, announced on 22 January.

NGN apologised to Harry for intrusion between 1996 and 2011, including "incidents of unlawful activities" by private investigators working for The Sun.

The publisher also apologised to the Duke for phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators at the News of the World, which closed in 2011.

"We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages," the NGN statement said.

The publisher also apologised for the impact of the "serious intrusion" into the private life of Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

An NGN spokesperson previously said its apology to Harry covered "incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, not by journalists, during the period 1996-2011".

They added: "There are strong controls and processes in place at all our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now. There was no voicemail interception on The Sun."

Lord Tom Watson, former Labour deputy leader, who was also taking legal action against the publisher, settled his claim as well.

Reporting by PA.

"Unique set of circumstances"

Parts of Wednesday's hearing were heard in private, without members of the press or public, though the Duke was allowed to remain. 

During the public part of the hearing, Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, said that Ravec was faced with a "unique set of circumstances".

He told the court: "There is no proper basis for challenging the decision that the bespoke assessment was appropriate…What mattered was the question of substance of how they were going to deal with this unique set of circumstances."

The barrister later said that the committee does not proceed "by way of comparison" between people under its remit.

Sir James said: "That is for the obvious reason that it is highly unlikely that two cases will ever in truth be the same, when judged against the broad guiding principles that apply."

He added: "It needs to acknowledged squarely that is extremely difficult and perhaps not very profitable to seek to compare cases, other than through the broad guiding principles, as apply across a range of similar cases."

When will a decision be made?

The hearing before Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean, and Lord Justice Edis is due to conclude on Wednesday with a decision expected in writing at a later date.

No family reunion

HELLO! has learned that the Duke and the King did not meet, despite both being in London on the same day.

Charles was seen touching down in his helicopter in London on Sunday ahead of his state visit to Italy, arriving at Kensington Palace at 10:30am.

Prince Harry waves as he leaves court© Getty Images
Harry leaving court on day one

Meanwhile, Harry touched down in the capital at around 3pm on Sunday, two days before appearing at the High Court for the first day of the hearing.

HELLO! understands that the King headed to London on Sunday for scheduled cancer treatment, therefore it was "not possible" for Harry and the monarch to reunite.

Listen: How Harry found out about Charles's health scare

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