The WLR Daily case summaries
[2025] WLR(D) 133
Supreme Court
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (Cultural Bureau) v Costantine
[2025] UKSC 9
2024 Nov 6;
2025 March 6
2025 March 6
Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Briggs, Lord Hamblen, Lord Leggatt JJSC, Lord Burnett of Maldon
Conflict of laws— Sovereign immunity— Employment— Member of administrative and technical staff at London embassy— Proceedings for religious discrimination and harassment— Employment tribunal rejecting embassy’s claim to state immunity— Embassy appealing but not attending appeal hearing— Statutory duty to consider immunity despite state’s non-appearance— Whether applying to appellate courts— Whether tribunal applying correct test for state immunity—
State Immunity Act 1978 (c 33), ss 1, 16(1)(aa) (as amended by State Immunity Act 1978 (Remedial) Order 2023 (SI 2023/12), art 5)