Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex lost legal battle, British government changes security level

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New Delhi: Prince Harry suffered a setback in court on Wednesday as his legal challenge against the UK government’s decision to change his personal security level during visits to the country was rejected, news agency AFP reports.

In February 2020, the Duke of Sussex was informed that he would no longer receive the same level of publicly funded security in the UK. Subsequently, he initiated legal proceedings against the government protesting this decision.

High Court Judge Peter Lane upheld the government’s position in a sweeping 52-page ruling and declared the “bespoke” process implemented to protect Prince Harry was legally sound.

Prince Harry, along with his wife Meghan, made headlines in 2020 when they relocated to California, United States. Despite their move, Harry expressed concerns about security issues hindering his ability to return to the United Kingdom.

In a statement presented at the London High Court during a hearing in December, Prince Harry stressed the importance of the UK as his home and the importance of ensuring the safety of his family.

“Britain is my home. Britain is at the heart of my children’s heritage,” Harry said in a statement, reports AFP.

Referring to his late mother Princess Diana, who died in a car crash while fleeing paparazzi in 1997, Harry explained his reluctance to put himself and his wife at similar risks.

“I cannot put my wife in danger like this and given my experiences in life, I am reluctant to unnecessarily put myself in harm’s way,” he said in the statement, the news agency reported.

Legal representatives for the government rejected claims of discrimination against Prince Harry and said he was not treated unfavorably and a thorough risk assessment was carried out.

Notably, this legal defeat is another link in Prince Harry’s ongoing efforts to address security concerns during visits to the UK.

Earlier in May 2023, he was unsuccessful in a legal review bid in relation to the government’s refusal to allow funding for privately held specialist police protection in the UK. The government argued that allowing wealthy individuals to purchase protective security was contrary to the public interest in cases where taxpayer-funded security was deemed unnecessary, AFP reported.