Prince Harry has lost his appeal to reinstate full UK police protection during visits to Britain, a significant legal setback for the Duke of Sussex, who had argued that his family’s safety was at risk.
The ruling was delivered Friday by London’s Court of Appeal, where Judge Geoffrey Vos dismissed the appeal, stating that the prince’s “sense of grievance” did not translate into a valid legal claim.
“From the Duke of Sussex’s point of view, something may indeed have gone wrong, in that an unintended consequence of his decision to step back from royal duties and spend the majority of his time abroad had been that he has been provided with a more bespoke, and generally lesser, level of protection than when he was in the UK,” said Vos. However, he noted, this did not “of itself give rise to a legal complaint.”
Prince Harry, who now resides in California with his wife Meghan and their two children, has been involved in a years-long legal effort to reverse a 2020 decision by a UK government committee that downgraded his publicly funded protection after stepping away from royal duties.
The prince’s lawyers claimed he had been “singled out” and received “unjustified and inferior treatment,” arguing that the threats to his safety were not properly evaluated. Citing examples such as a “dangerous car pursuit with paparazzi” in New York and alleged threats from al-Qaeda, they emphasized the risks he faces.
“There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security and whose life is at stake,” Harry’s lawyer, Shaheed Fatima, had said during the two-day hearing.
Despite these arguments, the High Court had previously ruled that the government acted lawfully, and this position was upheld in the appeal.
The ruling comes amid ongoing tensions between Harry and the rest of the royal family. Since relocating to the U.S. in 2020, Harry has rarely seen his father, King Charles III—who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer—and has minimal contact with his older brother, Prince William.
In past statements, Harry expressed that “The UK is my home,” adding, “The UK is central to the heritage of my children. That cannot happen if it’s not possible to keep them safe.”
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle has been increasingly active in the media landscape, launching a podcast, a Netflix series, and returning to social media, while Harry has kept a lower profile.
What you should know
Prince Harry’s appeal to restore full police protection in the UK has been rejected, with the court ruling that his reduced security level reflects his changed royal role.
The decision underscores the lasting implications of his departure from royal duties and adds to ongoing tensions with the British royal family.
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