Yahoo Finance Prince Andrew to Keep Security amid Prince Harry's Lawsuit for U.K. Police Protection
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Prince Andrew will keep his taxpayer-funded security as Prince Harry continues his legal battle for U.K. police protection for his family, according to reports.
The Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) determined that Andrew is still entitled to public-funded bodyguards despite stepping back from royal duties, The Telegraph reports.
The cost of his personal security detail is estimated to cost between $600,000 and $3.6 million annually, according to the outlet.
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Andrew has not participated in any royal event — apart from accompanying his mother to a thanksgiving service for his late father Prince Philip in March — since his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came to light.
In February, Andrew lost the remaining public accouterments of royal life after settling his lawsuit with his sexual abuse accuser Virginia Guiffre. Andrew has denied the claims she made against him.
Several years ago, Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie stopped receiving royal security protection, according to The Telegraph.
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The RAVEC decision comes as Harry, 37, continues his legal battle to receive U.K. police protection for his family with two ongoing lawsuits.
In July, Harry won the right to challenge the status of the U.K. security arrangements put in place following his decision to step back from frontline royal duties.
The ruling follows a February 2020 decision by the RAVEC to remove Harry's automatic right to U.K. police security after his bombshell January 2020 announcement.
Seth Wenig/AP/Shutterstock Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
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Judge Jonathan Swift granted the Duke of Sussex "permission to apply for judicial review" over the RAVEC decision in legal papers obtained by PEOPLE.
The decision means that the legal action will now proceed to a full hearing at the High Court in London between Harry and the U.K. government — an unprecedented situation in modern times.
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On July 7, the High Court heard that Harry and wife Meghan Markle's security has been dealt with on a "flexible, case-by-case" basis since they made their decision to step back.
Harry's legal team has previously stated that Harry "does not feel safe" bringing children Archie, 3, and Lilibet, 1, to the U.K. under this arrangement because his U.S. security team does not have jurisdiction in the U.K. or access to U.K. government intelligence.
Earlier this month, Harry filed a second lawsuit looking at the decision that people are not allowed to privately fund their own security, an offer which the Duke of Sussex allegedly made and was refused.
