Prince Harry has been embroiled in a legal battle with the British government over the decision to remove his police protection team, resulting in significant costs to taxpayers. A Freedom of Information request revealed that British taxpayers have paid nearly $650,000 towards the legal fees for the lawsuits, though Prince Harry may end up covering most of the costs himself, in addition to his own expenses.
If Prince Harry does not win his appeal, he will be responsible for paying the majority of the costs, which could potentially surpass £1 million. His legal fees might also increase as he had to put together evidence for the case. The decision to appeal suggests that Harry’s legal team believes there was an error in the initial ruling, and they have a strong chance of winning. If the appeal is granted and ultimately unsuccessful, the costs could rise to around £100,000.
The Court of Appeal will determine whether Prince Harry is granted permission to appeal, with a potential cost of £25,000 if he loses. If he wins the appeal, the British taxpayers will cover the costs, and the government may need to reconsider their decision to strip him of his police team. However, there is a possibility that the government may make a similar decision using a different process after giving Harry a chance to make his case.
In addition to the legal battle with the British government, Prince Harry faces another costly lawsuit against The Mail on Sunday, which he dropped. The estimated legal bill for that case is around £750,000, bringing the potential total costs for both cases to over $2 million. Despite winning a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers for historic phone hacking allegations, which resulted in damages of over £140,000, any gains from that case are unlikely to cover the expenses of the other two cases.
Prince Harry’s legal challenges have implications for both his financial resources and public perception. The outcomes of these lawsuits will determine the financial burden on him and the British taxpayers, as well as the government’s policies regarding security arrangements for members of the royal family. The appeal process will play a crucial role in deciding the final costs and implications for all parties involved.
