Harry 'singled out' for 'inferior treatment,' says lawyer at appeal over prince's security detail
Prince Harry was treated unfairly when he was stripped of his British security detail, his lawyer told appeal court judges in London on Tuesday.
Harry, who made a rare appearance in court for the hearing, lost his government-funded protection in February 2020 after he stepped down from his role as a working member of the Royal Family and moved to the U.S.
A High Court judge ruled last year that a government panel's decision to provide "bespoke" security for Harry — custom-designed on an as-needed basis for his visits to the U.K. — was not unlawful, irrational or unjustified.
But lawyer Shaheed Fatima argued that a group that evaluated the Duke of Sussex's security needs failed to follow its own process and perform a risk management assessment.
"The appellant does not accept that bespoke means better," Fatima said. "In fact, in his submission, it means that he has been singled out for different, unjustified and inferior treatment."
Harry, whose titles include the Duke of Sussex, was wearing a navy blue suit and light blue tie as he sat behind his lawyer. His surprise appearance was an indication of the case's importance to him.
Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles, has bucked Royal Family convention by taking the government and tabloid press to court, where he has a mixed record.
But Harry rarely shows up to court, making only a few appearances in the past two years. That included the trial of one of his phone hacking cases against the British tabloids when he was the first senior member of the royal family to enter the witness box in more than a century.
Claims that Harry and family are endangered
Harry had claimed he and his family are endangered when visiting his homeland because of hostility aimed at him and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on social media and through relentless hounding by news media.
He lost a related court case in which he sought permission to privately pay for a police detail when in the U.K., but a judge denied that offer after a government lawyer argued officers shouldn't be used as "private bodyguards for the wealthy."
He also dropped a libel case against the publisher of the Daily Mail for an article that said he had tried to hide his efforts to continue receiving government-funded security.
But he won a significant victory at trial in 2023 against the publisher of the Daily Mirror when a judge found that phone hacking at the tabloid was "widespread and habitual."
WATCH | Harry wins case against Daily Mirror owner (2023):
Prince Harry wins phone-hacking lawsuit against Mirror tabloid chain
1 year ago
Duration 2:07
Prince Harry is declaring victory after a London judge says he was a victim of phone hacking by the British publisher Mirror Group Newspapers.
He claimed a "monumental" victory in January when Rupert Murdoch's U.K. tabloids made an unprecedented apology for intruding in his life for years and agreed to pay substantial damages to settle his privacy-invasion lawsuit.
He has a similar case pending against the publisher of the Daily Mail.
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Toronto Star
a day ago
- Toronto Star
Global LGBTQ+ advocates gather ‘on Trump's doorstep' at World Pride despite travel anxiety
WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before she was to deliver opening remarks to World Pride's human rights conference in Washington, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, the co-founder of UK Black Pride, said she was denied entry to the United States after her visa was revoked due to her travels to Cuba earlier this year. Opoku-Gyimah, widely known as Lady Phyll, said she applied immediately for a nonimmigrant visa. The earliest date she was given: September. 'I've called. I've written. I've pleaded,' she said over a video livestream. 'And the answer was a cold, bureaucratic 'No.'' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Many LGBTQ+ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip World Pride due to anxieties about safety, border policies and a hostile political climate. Yet cross-national strategizing has still been central to the gathering as international attendees echoed that they wanted to send a clear message of opposition to U.S. officials with their presence. 'This is World Pride on Trump's doorstep,' said Yasmin Benoit, a British model and asexual activist. 'And that's all the more reason to be here. We want to show the U.S. that there's a lot of eyes on what's happening here.' New policies make visiting more complex World Pride gathers LGBTQ+ advocates from around the globe and has taken place most recently in Australia, Sweden and Denmark. This year, which marks the 50th anniversary of Washington's Pride festival, is the first time the city is hosting the gathering. Yet for many, the global celebration has been complicated by President Donald Trump's policies targeting transgender people and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Trump, a Republican, has said that whether a person is a man or woman is determined by that person's biological characteristics at birth, and about two-thirds of U.S. adults agree with him, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. He has denounced DEI policies as a form of discrimination that threatens merit-based decision-making. Several countries, including Denmark, Finland and Germany, issued cautions for LGBTQ+ travelers visiting the U.S. for World Pride, culminates in a closing festival this weekend with a parade, a rally and concerts. Capital Pride Alliance, which organized World Pride D.C., included an advisory for transgender and nonbinary international travelers alongside security protocols. Egale Canada, one of the country's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, announced in February that its members would not attend any events in the U.S. through June, including World Pride. It cited concerns for transgender and nonbinary staff members. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I didn't feel it was safe to have our staff crossing into the U.S. with the current hostilities, through legislation and rhetoric,' said Helen Kennedy, the organization's executive director. The African Human Rights Coalition, meanwhile, called for a boycott of World Pride in Washington 'because the event is being held in a venue ... governed now by an antagonistic fascist regime which presents distinct dangers to foreign LGBTQI+ attendees,' the organization said in a statement. Jessica Stern, a former U.S. special envoy for the human rights of LGBTQI+ people, acknowledged that many potential attendees decided to skip World Pride as they 'wonder if they'll be safe in U.S. airports and on our streets.' 'Thank you for coming to the U.S. amid a time of great uncertainty,' she said in her opening remarks before an emcee later instructed attendees to shout out where they had traveled from. Answers included New Zealand, Sweden, England, Zimbabwe, Australia, Nigeria and India. As an increasing number of international travelers have expressed anxiety, John Tanzella, president of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, said he has assured people that Washington is an inclusive city but advised them to stay informed of local policies, connect with LGBTQ+ organizations on the ground and book with trusted businesses with track records of inclusion. The organization is working on guidance for transgender and nonbinary travelers in the U.S. for the World Pride parade and march. 'Safety always comes up, especially in the current climate, but there's also a deep desire to bring our community together,' he said. 'For many, World Pride in Washington, D.C., feels extra meaningful given its location. There's caution, yes, but above all, people want to show up, be seen and be heard.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW A bad experience while trying to enter Benoit's friends had warned her not to travel to the U.S., and her anxiety was mounting in the days leading up to her flight. She planned to avoid telling customs agents she was traveling for World Pride. But when that information surfaced, she said agents took her passport and asked her questions for an additional hour about where she was staying and for how long. Still, she said, it is more important now than ever to 'send a message to Trump in his own backyard' and to embrace the global nature of World Pride. 'The ability to bring people together to understand how interconnected everything is, how this harmful rhetoric may bleed over to other countries, is really important,' she said. 'And it's an opportunity to access resources and people you may not have access to back home.' Essy Adhiambo, executive director of the Initiative for Equality and Non Discrimination, deleted all the social media apps on her phone before her 35-hour journey from Mombasa, Kenya, worrying that her phone might be searched. Still, Adhiambo said being visible as an international LGBTQ+ community is powerful amid threats to the community across the globe. 'We must continue to protest in the current context we are in,' she said. 'Those of us who are able to make this journey have to hold space for those who could not, especially our trans siblings. We want to amplify our message on the land of the people who are supporting homophobia.' Nikki Phinyapincha, co-founder of Trans Pride Thailand, set off on a 25-hour journey to World Pride from Thailand after issuing a travel advisory from her organization for Thai LGBTQ+ people. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'The political climate and instability is not new, but it makes it more important that we are here,' she said. 'We need to keep doing this work, strategizing together and being adaptive.' For people from marginalized communities, Opoku-Gyimah said, 'just traveling to speak truth can often feel like a mountain.' 'We have to prove our worth at every border, every checkpoint,' she said. Yet Opoku-Gyimah applauded the international nature of World Pride amid 'connected, coordinated ... and increasingly violent' attacks against LGBTQ+ communities across the globe. She said the U.S. government's rolling back of DEI initiatives, protections for the transgender community and reproductive rights have had ripple effects abroad, including in the U.K. 'When the U.S. sneezes,' she said, 'other parts of the world catch that cold.'
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Global LGBTQ+ advocates gather ‘on Trump's doorstep' at World Pride despite travel anxiety
WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before she was to deliver opening remarks to World Pride's human rights conference in Washington, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, the co-founder of UK Black Pride, said she was denied entry to the United States after her visa was revoked due to her travels to Cuba earlier this year. Opoku-Gyimah, widely known as Lady Phyll, said she applied immediately for a nonimmigrant visa. The earliest date she was given: September. 'I've called. I've written. I've pleaded,' she said over a video livestream. 'And the answer was a cold, bureaucratic 'No.'' Many LGBTQ+ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip World Pride due to anxieties about safety, border policies and a hostile political climate. Yet cross-national strategizing has still been central to the gathering as international attendees echoed that they wanted to send a clear message of opposition to U.S. officials with their presence. 'This is World Pride on Trump's doorstep,' said Yasmin Benoit, a British model and asexual activist. 'And that's all the more reason to be here. We want to show the U.S. that there's a lot of eyes on what's happening here.' New policies make visiting more complex World Pride gathers LGBTQ+ advocates from around the globe and has taken place most recently in Australia, Sweden and Denmark. This year, which marks the 50th anniversary of Washington's Pride festival, is the first time the city is hosting the gathering. Yet for many, the global celebration has been complicated by President Donald Trump's policies targeting transgender people and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Trump, a Republican, has said that whether a person is a man or woman is determined by that person's biological characteristics at birth, and about two-thirds of U.S. adults agree with him, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. He has denounced DEI policies as a form of discrimination that threatens merit-based decision-making. Several countries, including Denmark, Finland and Germany, issued cautions for LGBTQ+ travelers visiting the U.S. for World Pride, culminates in a closing festival this weekend with a parade, a rally and concerts. Capital Pride Alliance, which organized World Pride D.C., included an advisory for transgender and nonbinary international travelers alongside security protocols. Egale Canada, one of the country's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, announced in February that its members would not attend any events in the U.S. through June, including World Pride. It cited concerns for transgender and nonbinary staff members. 'I didn't feel it was safe to have our staff crossing into the U.S. with the current hostilities, through legislation and rhetoric,' said Helen Kennedy, the organization's executive director. The African Human Rights Coalition, meanwhile, called for a boycott of World Pride in Washington 'because the event is being held in a venue … governed now by an antagonistic fascist regime which presents distinct dangers to foreign LGBTQI+ attendees,' the organization said in a statement. Jessica Stern, a former U.S. special envoy for the human rights of LGBTQI+ people, acknowledged that many potential attendees decided to skip World Pride as they 'wonder if they'll be safe in U.S. airports and on our streets.' 'Thank you for coming to the U.S. amid a time of great uncertainty,' she said in her opening remarks before an emcee later instructed attendees to shout out where they had traveled from. Answers included New Zealand, Sweden, England, Zimbabwe, Australia, Nigeria and India. As an increasing number of international travelers have expressed anxiety, John Tanzella, president of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, said he has assured people that Washington is an inclusive city but advised them to stay informed of local policies, connect with LGBTQ+ organizations on the ground and book with trusted businesses with track records of inclusion. The organization is working on guidance for transgender and nonbinary travelers in the U.S. for the World Pride parade and march. 'Safety always comes up, especially in the current climate, but there's also a deep desire to bring our community together,' he said. 'For many, World Pride in Washington, D.C., feels extra meaningful given its location. There's caution, yes, but above all, people want to show up, be seen and be heard.' A bad experience while trying to enter Benoit's friends had warned her not to travel to the U.S., and her anxiety was mounting in the days leading up to her flight. She planned to avoid telling customs agents she was traveling for World Pride. But when that information surfaced, she said agents took her passport and asked her questions for an additional hour about where she was staying and for how long. Still, she said, it is more important now than ever to 'send a message to Trump in his own backyard' and to embrace the global nature of World Pride. 'The ability to bring people together to understand how interconnected everything is, how this harmful rhetoric may bleed over to other countries, is really important,' she said. 'And it's an opportunity to access resources and people you may not have access to back home.' Essy Adhiambo, executive director of the Initiative for Equality and Non Discrimination, deleted all the social media apps on her phone before her 35-hour journey from Mombasa, Kenya, worrying that her phone might be searched. Still, Adhiambo said being visible as an international LGBTQ+ community is powerful amid threats to the community across the globe. 'We must continue to protest in the current context we are in,' she said. 'Those of us who are able to make this journey have to hold space for those who could not, especially our trans siblings. We want to amplify our message on the land of the people who are supporting homophobia.' Nikki Phinyapincha, co-founder of Trans Pride Thailand, set off on a 25-hour journey to World Pride from Thailand after issuing a travel advisory from her organization for Thai LGBTQ+ people. 'The political climate and instability is not new, but it makes it more important that we are here,' she said. 'We need to keep doing this work, strategizing together and being adaptive.' For people from marginalized communities, Opoku-Gyimah said, 'just traveling to speak truth can often feel like a mountain.' 'We have to prove our worth at every border, every checkpoint,' she said. Yet Opoku-Gyimah applauded the international nature of World Pride amid 'connected, coordinated … and increasingly violent' attacks against LGBTQ+ communities across the globe. She said the U.S. government's rolling back of DEI initiatives, protections for the transgender community and reproductive rights have had ripple effects abroad, including in the U.K. 'When the U.S. sneezes,' she said, 'other parts of the world catch that cold.'
Global News
2 days ago
- Global News
Kananaskis golf course getting ready for G7, possible Trump visit
Darren Robinson had some very important news to tell U.S. president George Bush and José María Aznar, the prime minister of Spain: the pro shop was open. Aznar had told Robinson, general manager of the Kananaskis Country Golf Club in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, that he wanted to visit it. True to his word, Robinson walked over to the two world leaders on a patio and interrupted their conversation. 'What was probably only 10 seconds felt like 10 minutes,' Robinson recalled of the G8 leaders' summit in 2002 in Kananaskis. He said the pair paused their discussion, and Bush waved over British prime minister Tony Blair. The four then talked about golf, running, the mountains, as the other leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, chatted ahead of a dinner at the golf club. Story continues below advertisement 'I'm like, somebody pinch me. It's really happening,' Robinson said. Twenty-three years later, Robinson is again teeing up to possibly host some of the world's most powerful people for the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis set for June 15-17. 2:09 Air restrictions over Calgary, Kananaskis for G7 Leaders' Summit The golf club is included in the tightly controlled perimeter that will be closed to public access during the summit and is one of two primary locations the leaders could use. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The summit is being hosted by the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, a short drive from the course. There's speculation U.S. President Donald Trump, with his known affection for golf, could tee off on the scenic course that sits at the foot of Mount Kidd. Trump even owns Kananaskis Country Golf Club merchandise. Prime Minister Mark Carney gifted the president a hat and gear from the club during his first White House visit in early May. Story continues below advertisement Requests for comment to the White House and the Prime Minister's Office about whether Trump or Carney would get in a golf game at the summit were not returned. The summit's itinerary hasn't been shared publicly. And if history informs Robinson's expectations, any activities involving leaders at the course would be spontaneous. 1:57 Calgary businesses prepare for busy tourist season with arrival of large events Robinson remembers one afternoon in 2002, when he mentioned to Jean Chrétien, touring the club before an upcoming dinner, that it was a shame the prime minister didn't have time to play. '(Chrétien) says, 'Who says I don't have time?' And he starts taking off his tie and jacket,' said Robinson, mimicking Chrétien's French accent. Chrétien hit two clean shots on his way to the putting green, said Robinson. But on the third shot, a short chip to get on the green, the prime minister accidentally nicked a divot out of the grass before making contact with the ball. Story continues below advertisement 'Before the ball even stops rolling, he reaches into his pocket, drops another one, hits that nicely onto the green,' Robinson said. 'And then he looks at me and says, 'I call that a Clinton.'' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "And then he looks at me and says, 'I call that a Clinton.'" Chrétien, after dropping the reference to former U.S. president Bill Clinton, played three more holes before getting back to work, said Robinson. He added that several interactions he had with Bush were personal highlights of the summit. It was a year after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. U.S. staffers asked Robinson to draw up a five-kilometre loop the president could run the next morning. When Bush arrived early the next day in his sneakers, he asked if a woman at the club dressed in athletic gear would jog with him, said Robinson. Story continues below advertisement 'Now I'm filming the two of them walking up. And president Bush says to me, 'You set me up with an Olympic runner.'' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Now I'm filming the two of them walking up. And president Bush says to me, 'You set me up with an Olympic runner.'" Months later, Robinson received a manila envelope in the mail from the White House with a letter signed by Bush thanking him for the stay and a photo of the two of them talking on the club patio. This year, Robinson said he'll be on the course waiting to help, but isn't expecting a 2002 repeat. 'You hope that there's any opportunity to have some similar and memorable experiences,' he said while standing at a tee box overlooking the 16th hole on the course. 'If they happen, great. That would be wonderful. And if they don't, they don't.'
