An “exhausted and overwhelmed” Prince Harry says his “worst fears have been confirmed.”
The Duke of Sussex, along with Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, now lives in Montecito, California.
After stepping down from their royal duties in January 2020, the couple spent time in Canada and the U.S. before settling in the celebrity-filled coastal town.
Back during the “Sandringham summit,” which was held to discuss the terms of their new roles, it was decided that they would no longer receive full-time police protection.
This level of security is reserved for senior royals, including King Charles III, the Queen, and the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.
Instead, Harry and Meghan were offered “bespoke” security arrangements, which require giving 30 days’ notice before traveling to the U.K. Each trip would be reviewed for potential threats and a decision made on whether protection was warranted.
Now, following a two-day hearing at the Court of Appeal in London, Prince Harry has broken his silence about his ongoing legal battle.
In February 2020, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec) decided that Prince Harry and his family would receive a different level of security while in the U.K., following their relocation to the United States.
Prince Harry has maintained that he doesn’t feel it’s safe to bring his wife and two children to the U.K., even though security would be provided in the event of a specific threat.
Reports suggest the duke believes the change in security arrangements was intended to pressure him and Meghan Markle into remaining working members of the royal family and not moving overseas—an accusation that Buckingham Palace sources have strongly denied.
This appeal follows a ruling by retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane last year, who deemed Ravec’s decision to be lawful.
The Home Office, which holds legal authority over the committee’s decisions, is opposing the appeal.
Shaheed Fatima KC, speaking on behalf of Prince Harry, told the appeal court that the Duke had been “singled out for different, unjustified, and inferior treatment.”
The legal team also argued that this decision denied him the same level of protection granted to others in the “Other VIP Category,” which includes figures like prime ministers and pop stars.
As he exited the court on April 9, Prince Harry shared with People magazine that his “worst fears have been confirmed by the whole legal disclosure in this case – and that’s really sad.”
He reportedly went on to say that he felt “exhausted and overwhelmed.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos stated that the Court of Appeal’s ruling would be delivered in writing at a later date, and was “most unlikely” to be issued before Easter.
