Tom Symonds
Correspondent, reporting from court

Prince Harry's legal submissions argue that he should have been informed about how the decisions about his security were being made.

He claims he didn't get a chance to make his own case or see risk assessments which might have been carried out.

The Duke of Sussex's security is currently being provided on a case-by-case basis by Ravec and he has to give 28 days' notice.

The court filing suggests he was unhappy with a decision during Covid "when Ravec determined that his only protective security would be [redacted text]".

It continues: "[Harry] has still not been provided with an RMB (risk) analysis, despite recent security incidents."

These include a call by al-Qaeda for him to be murdered, as well as an incident in May 2023 when the prince and his wife Meghan were pursued by the paparazzi in New York.

This was described by police as "persistently dangerous and unacceptable behaviour".

Tom Symonds
Correspondent, reporting from court

This court is not currently discussing the details of Prince Harry's security protection, because these are sensitive and instead will be considered in a closed session tomorrow.

I'm looking through the court documents - and there are few details in these too, for the same reason.

They state that Ravec, the committee which decides the level of VIP protection, breaks down the risk into what amounts to an equation:

• Capability + intent = threat
• Threat + vulnerability = likelihood
• Likelihood + impact = risk

It also puts VIPs into three categories:

• Role based - these are likely to be the senior royals
• Other VIP category
• Occasional category

However, the category the prince was put into following a review in April 2019, is redacted.

As are the results of what is described as a review of "the likely impact of a successful attack, and mitigation for his vulnerability".

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

Returning to the in-person legal argument, Fatima tells the court that Ravec did not conduct a risk management board assessment for the duke.

Prince Harry's barrister repeats her argument that this means Ravec didn’t have the expert analysis it needed to consider if he should be treated similarly to those in the "other VIP" category.

She continues: "Ravec did not make a reasonable decision because the appellant’s position is analogous to those in that ‘other VIP’ category."

Had the High Court judge who initially heard this case properly evaluated the evidence, he "would have come to that conclusion", Fatima argues.

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

We are looking through written submissions to the court now, as the Prince Harry's barrister Shaheed Fatima KC continues her opening argument.

In a skeleton argument for the duke, she writes: "This appeal concerns the most fundamental right: to safety and security of person."

She continues: "[Prince Harry's] security does not appear to have been discussed at any formal Ravec meeting and there are no official notes or detailed minutes recording the approach to be taken to [his] security and the rationale for it."

As a reminder, Ravec is the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, which decides the level of protection members of the Royal Family and other high profile people in the UK receive from the security services.

Fatima also writes that in early 2020 Harry was not informed about aspects including the terms of reference, how Ravec would make the decision on his security, that the Royal Household were part of Ravec, the role of the risk management board, or other categories of people given protective security.

Therefore he was “not in a position to make any informed representations to Ravec,” she argues.

Tom Symonds
Correspondent, reporting from court

Harry's barrister has just made the case that it was wrong for the Ravec committee not to follow its standard procedures, because it did not have the expert analysis of the risks facing the prince which it needed.

Fatima has not set out the level of security he's requesting, but this case is about the principles of the decision.

Prince Harry's sitting three rows back from her, alongside his legal team listening to the arguments and reading documents.

Tom Symonds
Correspondent, reporting from court

Shaheed Fatima KC has told the Court of Appeal that Prince Harry was "singled out for different unjustified and inferior treatment" when a government committee decided not to give him the highest level of security protection while he is in the UK.

But she says that he did not believe he was automatically entitled to the same protection as when he was a senior royal.

His case is challenging the way that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, took the decision.

It decided not to get its risk management board to assess the Duke of Sussex's case, but to come up with a "bespoke assessment".

This involves Harry being given security on a case-by-case basis when he visits the UK.

As Prince Harry's barrister Shaheed Fatima KC lays out her opening argument, he is watching proceedings unfold.

In a dark suit, he's sitting in the back row of the court behind his lawyers.

The prince is sitting with a notepad, pen and a bottle of water.

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

The final decision following proceedings over the next two days is set to be given in writing at a later date.

Sir Geoffrey Vos, one of the three judges hearing the appeal, is currently going through the logistics of the case.

He says we will sit in open court for today. For part of tomorrow there will be a closed session - and then it will be open.

We would like to see as much of the argument undertaken in public session as possible while ensuring confidential material is not disclosed, the judge adds.

• Earlier, we mentioned that some of the evidence will touch on security arrangements and threat levels which need to remain confidential

Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from court

I don't think it's a surprise that Prince Harry has turned up here to the Royal Courts of Justice.

This is a two-day hearing at the Court of Appeal which is all to do with Prince Harry's level of security when he comes to visit the UK, as he has done here today.

We don't see Prince Harry that often here in the UK - he rarely travels here and he has stressed it is because of his security arrangements.

The level of protection he was afforded when he was a working member of the Royal Family was downgraded when he stopped being a working member and moved to the US.

Today, he is continuing to challenge a Home Office decision about that downgrading of his level of security.

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

The Duke of Sussex is in court now and has taken a seat in the centre of the room.

The three judges have entered the courtroom - the hearing is getting under way.

The judges and lawyers are going over some of the legal principles and practicalities of this case, so hit Watch Live to stream it.

Today's hearing is taking place at the Royal Courts of Justice in London - and is due to begin at 10:30 GMT.

We have our correspondents in court and will be following the proceedings closely in today's page - stay with us for key updates on the legal arguments.

Or you can follow along yourself by hitting Watch Live at the top of the page.

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

This week's appeal is the latest in multiple stages of a case that has lasted about three-and-a-half years.

The application for a judicial review - a challenge in the High Court against the decision of a public body or government department - was filed in September 2021.

Since then he's been given the go ahead to challenge the Home Office, which was has been heard in court (and lost).

Harry then attempted appeal the judge's decision (and was refused) - but finally, in May last year, he was given permission to make his case in the Court of Appeal, where we are today.

Charlotte Gallagher
Reporting from court

Prince Harry does still have some police protection - it's not like he's a normal person when he comes the the UK.

There will have been police with him today as he arrived at the Court of Appeal. Every time he comes to the country the situation is assessed on a case-by-case basis as to how much security he needs while he is here.

He says he is willing to pay to have police protection. However, the committee that decides what kind of protection the Royals and other VIPs get say you can't do that - the funds either come centrally, or not at all.

The Duke of Sussex also says his private security can't access Home Office or security services databases to know about threats against him, so he argues they're working in the dark.

That is what he is going to be fighting in court today.

Here's the clip of Harry arriving in court just now.

He waved at the waiting members of the media outside the Royal Courts of Justice, but opted not to answer when asked by a reporter if he'd spoken to his father, the King.

Watch below:

Image source, Reuters

• February 2020: The Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) downgrades Prince Harry's protection when he is in the UK, after his decision to step down as a working member of the Royal Family
• September 2021: The prince begins legal action against the Home Office, which is responsible for Ravec's decision
• December 2023: The full hearing begins, with Prince Harry saying in a statement: "The UK is central to the heritage of my children, and a place I want them to feel at home as much as where they live at the moment in the US"
• February 2024: Prince Harry's claim is dismissed, with the judge ruling Ravec's decision was not irrational nor procedurally unfair
• April 2024: The prince is refused permission to begin an appeal
• June 2024: Court of Appeal gives Prince Harry the right to begin an appeal
• April 2025: Two-day hearing at the Court of Appeal begins

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

Image source, Getty Images

This is not Prince Harry's first appearance in a British court in recent years.

Two summers ago, I was in a High Court building just a stone's throw away listening to the Duke of Sussex give evidence in a very different case.

This was as part of his claim against Mirror Group Newspapers, in which it was alleged unlawful information gathering - including phone hacking - took place.

In taking the stand, he became the first senior member of the Royal Family in modern times to be cross-examined in court.

Tom Symonds
Reporting from court

Image source, PA Media

Prince Harry has arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice to begin the next stage of his legal battle over the security protection he gets while in the UK.

He arrived in a Range Rover watched by dozens of camera crew and photographers.

Image source, PA

A little earlier, we brought you details of a statement Prince Harry shared with the court about why he chose to move his family away from the UK.

As a reminder, in today's hearing he is seeking to challenge the previous High Court ruling that a decision by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee to not provide blanket VIP security for himself and Meghan was "legally sound".

The Committee had decided instead that security arrangements would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis - this is how it works for other high-profile visiting dignitaries and was a view upheld by the court.

Lawyers for the Home Office argued that "his position [...] materially changed" when he moved abroad.

"In those circumstances protective security would not be provided on the same basis as before," they set out at the time.

Jemma Crew
Reporting from court

Part of the proceedings over the next two days will be held in private.

The parties’ opening submissions and arguments related to "non-confidential facts" will be held in open court, which the media and public can attend.

But the parts that contain "confidential facts" will be held in private.

That's because, according to a High Court order, some of the evidence "relates to security arrangements and threat levels" and "it is obvious that such material would be of interest to anyone wishing to harm a person within the scope of the security arrangements, and that publicising it would risk jeopardising the effectiveness of those arrangements".

It should be possible for most of the appeal to be heard in public with "only short periods" in private, the order from last week adds.

The security arrangements for royals and VIPs are decided by a committee with delegated powers from the Home Office.

According to the government, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) is made up of representatives from the Home Office, the Cabinet Office, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Household.

Ravec previously decided Prince Harry should have a "bespoke" arrangement for his publicly-funded security when in the UK, as he was no longer eligible for the level of protection working royals receive after he stood down from those duties.