Prince Harry has started his legal proceedings against the Home Office after his bid to pay for police protection for himself and his family while in the UK was rejected.

The Duke of Sussex is challenging a decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) in February 2020 over his security since quitting royal duties for a life of financial independence in California.

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The duke wants to bring his children to visit from the US, but his barrister told the High Court today that he “does not feel safe” when visiting under the current security arrangements.

A legal representative for Harry has also previously said he wants to fund the security himself when he travels to the UK, rather than ask taxpayers to foot the bill.

Harry did not attend the first hearing in the case at the Royal Courts of Justice in London today.

Introducing the case, Shaheed Fatima QC, representing the duke, said: “This claim is about the fact that the claimant does not feel safe when he is in the UK given the security arrangements applied to him in June 2021 and will continue to be applied to him.

“It goes without saying that he does want to come back to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart. Most of all, this is and always will be his home.”

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Harry briefly returned to the UK last July for the unveiling of Princess Diana memorial statue and it is understood his car was chased by photographers as he left.

However, Robert Palmer QC, for the Home Office, told the court the duke’s offer of private funding was “irrelevant”, despite his safety concerns.

In written submissions, he said: “Personal protective security by the police is not available on a privately financed basis, and Ravec does not make decisions on the provision of such security on the basis that any financial contribution could be sought or obtained to pay for it.”

He added Ravec had attributed to the duke “a form of exceptional status” where he is considered for personal protective security by the police, “with the precise arrangements being dependent on the reason for his presence in Great Britain and by reference to the functions he carries out when present”.

The barrister added: “A case-by-case approach rationally and appropriately allows Ravec to implement a responsive approach to reflect the applicable circumstances.”

Mr Palmer later said in the written submissions that the duke had “failed to afford the necessary measure of respect” to the home secretary and Ravec as “the expert, and democratically accountable, decision-maker on matters of protective security and associated risk assessment”.

He added that the Home Office will “seek the costs incurred as a result of this claim in full, including those of the confidentiality exercise, which has resulted in costs being incurred to the public purse”.

The hearing in front of Mr Justice Swift will continue, with a written judgment due at a later date.

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