Prince Harry’s bid to appeal the downgrading of his personal security while visiting Britain has been denied by a court ruling on Monday. The youngest son of King Charles III took legal action after the British government informed him in 2020 that he would no longer receive the same level of publicly-funded protection during his UK visits.
In February, the High Court ruled that the UK government’s decision was lawful. High Court judge Peter Lane emphasized the legality of the “bespoke process” devised for Prince Harry by a committee under the jurisdiction of the interior ministry, stating it was “legally sound.”
Despite previous intentions to seek justice through the Court of Appeal, a judicial spokesperson announced on Monday that Prince Harry had lost his initial bid to appeal the decision.
The prince, also known as the Duke of Sussex, notably relocated to North America with his wife Meghan in 2020, eventually settling in California, and is no longer classified as a working royal.
Prince Harry had expressed security concerns preventing his return visits to Britain during a hearing at London’s High Court in December. He emphasized the importance of keeping his family safe, stating, “The UK is my home. The UK is central to the heritage of my children.”
While Prince Harry’s legal team argued that he was being treated unfairly and that proper risk analysis was not conducted, the government’s lawyers rejected claims of singling him out and emphasized the importance of public interest in decisions regarding taxpayer-funded protection.
The legal battle over Prince Harry’s personal security adds to the various lawsuits he has pursued in Britain in recent years, primarily concerning alleged phone hacking by newspapers. Earlier this month, he settled a longstanding legal claim against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) and is currently pursuing legal action against other media outlets.
The denial of Prince Harry’s appeal underscores the ongoing complexities surrounding his public life and the legal battles he continues to navigate.