Prince Harry may cite Taylor Swift’s UK security deal during Eras Tour in legal battle for protection

Prince Harry is engaged in a legal dispute with the UK government regarding the downgrading of his family’s security arrangements in February 2020
PUBLISHED NOV 30, 2024
Prince Harry might look to Taylor Swift as a precedent in his bid to have  police protection for him and his family reinstated during UK visits (Getty Images)
Prince Harry might look to Taylor Swift as a precedent in his bid to have police protection for him and his family reinstated during UK visits (Getty Images)

MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry is reportedly eyeing Taylor Swift’s precedent as a possible justification for the government-funded security he and Meghan Markle claim they need during their UK visits.

The 40-year-old prince is embroiled in a legal battle challenging a 2022 ruling that revoked his family’s automatic royal-funded security, a decision made after he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties.

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - AUGUST 15: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex seen during The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Colombia Visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, seen during their Colombia visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia (Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)

Taylor Swift’s elaborate security cover during London Eras Tour

In August, Taylor Swift performed her record-breaking Eras Tour shows at Wembley Stadium.

Following a serious security issue—a terrorist attack plot that led to the cancellation of three tour dates in Austria—Swift was provided with armed police escorts during her London performances.

This move by UK authorities has raised questions about the transparency and consistency of their security protocols, especially in comparison to the treatment of Prince Harry.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during
Taylor Swift performs onstage during Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium on August 15, 2024 in London, England (Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )

A source close to the situation told People, “The government’s decision to provide Taylor Swift with armed police escorts during her August 2024 Wembley Stadium performances highlights significant inconsistencies in how protection decisions are made by UK authorities, raising questions about the transparency and consistency of the process.”

The insider further added, “Clearly Prince Harry is being treated completely differently to everyone else.”

The development was first reported by The Daily Telegraph on November 29.

Prince Harry’s long-standing legal battle over security

Prince Harry, 40, has been fighting for more than four years to regain automatic security rights for himself, Meghan Markle, and their children when in the UK.

The initial decision to remove their high-level security was made in February 2020 after Prince Harry and Markle stepped down as working royals.

Despite losing an initial court ruling in April 2024, Prince Harry is appealing the decision, with the case scheduled for a hearing in the spring of 2025.

According to a source, Harry’s motivation is deeply personal.

He wants to “ensure the safety of himself and his family while in the UK so his children can know his home country and work with his charities without any fear".

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - AUGUST 15: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex are seen at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Colombia Visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are seen at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata during their Colombia visit on August 15, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia (Eric Charbonneau/Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)

Those close to Prince Harry argue that his circumstances warrant significant security. Having served two tours in Afghanistan, the prince became a target of terrorist threats.

Additionally, his family has faced domestic extremist threats, particularly Meghan, whose mixed-race background has made her the subject of high-level threats.

Neil Basu, a former head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police, highlighted the severity of these risks earlier this year.

“Harry’s military service, his global recognition and his marriage to a mixed-race woman all contribute to his high threat level,” Basu told People in July.

Security dispute further strains Prince Harry-King Charles relationship

The security dispute has further strained Prince Harry’s relationship with his father, King Charles.

During a visit to the UK in May, Prince Harry sought a discussion with King Charles, believing his father holds the power to reinstate his previous security levels.

However, as per Page Six, a palace source said that the notion of King Charles controlling Harry’s security arrangements is “wholly incorrect".

The security downgrade for Prince Harry and Meghan was introduced by RAVEC (the Royal and VIP Executive Committee), which includes representatives from the Home Office, the Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Household.

WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Prince Harry looks at his bride, Meghan Markle, as she arrives accompanied by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during their wedding in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Prince Harry looks at his bride, Meghan Markle, as she arrives accompanied by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, during their wedding in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England (Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

While Buckingham Palace maintains that the king has no direct involvement in RAVEC’s decisions, his staff does sit on the committee.

A government spokesperson stated earlier this year that RAVEC provides "rigorous and proportionate" security but refrains from disclosing details to avoid compromising its integrity.

Similarly, the Metropolitan Police reiterated that their decisions are based on a “thorough assessment of threat, risk and harm” and that they do not comment on specific protective arrangements.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III and Prince Harry,
Prince William, Prince of Wales, King Charles III and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, walk behind the coffin during the procession for the lying-in state of Queen Elizabeth II on September 14, 2022 in London, England (Jeff J Mitchell - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

All in all, Prince Harry’s legal team argued that the differing treatment between Taylor Swift and Prince Harry highlighted a need for more systematic and equitable security decisions.

As one insider noted, “The case demonstrates the need for a more systematic and transparent approach to protection decisions, ensuring both public safety and equitable application of security resources.”

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