Prince Harry and Meghan Markle felt forced to step back as senior royals, court hears

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “felt forced” to step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family, a London court has heard.The Duke of Sussex, 40, is in the UK for a two-day appeal to win back taxpayer-funded security detail for him and his family.During Tuesday’s court hearing, Harry’s legal team claimed that he and the “Suits” alum, 43, were made to step back as working members of the Firm “as they considered they were not being protected by the institution.”The Sussexes “wished to continue their duties in support of the late Queen as privately funded members of The Royal Family,” the Invictus Games founder’s attorney, Shaheed Fatima KC, told the court.In January 2020, Harry and Markle made the bombshell announcement that they would be splitting their time between the UK and the US — in addition to them no longer being senior working members of the royal familyThe move was closely followed by a permanent trans-Atlantic dash to North America, where the couple have remained since shutting the door on royal life for good.As a result, the duo’s security was downgraded.Harry’s team, however, now insists that a formal process never took place before he and his wife were stripped of public-funded protection.His security “does not appear to have been discussed at any formal RAVEC [Royal and VIP Executive Committee] meeting,” Harry’s lawyer told the court.Instead, there was a meeting at Buckingham Palace on Jan.27, 2020, to discuss the matter.Harry’s lawyer claimed that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) “diverted” from its standard process and failed to submit proper documentation explaining their decision to strip Harry of protection privileges.

His legal team further claimed that the runaway prince was “singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment” and offered less protection than others in the “Other VIP Category.”The duke’s lawyers added that the UK’s treatment of him was...