Prince Harry has called for a “reconciliation” with his family after losing his latest court case regarding his security in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, has been fighting this issue for quite some time. He appeared in court in London in April, appealing a decision to remove his full high-level security.
RAVEC (Royal and VIP Executive Committee) had previously decided to reduce his security after he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped down from their senior royal roles in 2020.
Now, the latest ruling is out, and Prince Harry has lost his case for taxpayer-funded armed police bodyguards when he and his family visit the UK.
Prince Harry loses latest legal battle over his security
On Friday (May 2), the Court of Appeal ruled against Prince Harry. This means that security, paid for by British taxpayers, won’t be provided to him, his wife Meghan Markle, and their two children when they visit the UK.
According to the BBC, three senior judges at the Court of Appeal rejected Harry’s appeal.
Following the decision, Prince Harry spoke with BBC News. He shared that he “would love a reconciliation” with the royal family.
“I don’t know how much longer my father has. Life is precious.”
Harry also said, “I can’t imagine a world where I bring my wife and kids back to the UK. They’ll miss everything. I love my country. I miss the UK, I miss certain parts of it. It’s sad I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.”
The Duke mentioned that “ultimately, this whole thing could be resolved” through his father, King Charles, who is still undergoing cancer treatment.
Prince Harry says he wants to reconcile with royal family in BBC interview
Harry went on to say that there have been “some differences and disagreements with some members of my family.”
He mentioned: “This current situation, which has been ongoing for five years with regard to human life and safety, is the sticking point.”
“Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. But I would love reconciliation with my family.”
He continued, “There’s no point in continuing to fight any more. Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has.”
“He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff. It would be nice to reconcile.”
Harry said he has “now found out the truth”. He added that it would be “nice to have that reconciliation part now.”
Why did Prince Harry lose his security?
In April, Prince Harry attended hearings related to the British government’s decision to remove his high-level security protection, a move that followed his stepping down from royal duties in 2020.
By leaving his royal role, Harry lost the automatic personal protection that had been provided by the British police.
The ruling stated that his security would now be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, which Prince Harry did not agree with.
During a court appearance on April 8, Harry’s lawyer argued that both he and Meghan Markle felt “forced” to step away from royal life because of the lack of security.
Prince Harry’s High Court appeal
In a written statement presented in court, Harry’s barrister said: “On 8 January 2020, (the duke) and his wife felt they had no choice but to step back from their roles as full-time official members of the royal family, as they believed they were not receiving protection from the institution. However, they still wished to carry out their duties in support of the late queen as privately funded members of the royal family.”
The barrister also mentioned that it was determined “there is no basis for publicly funded security support for the duke and duchess within Great Britain.”
Harry’s attorney, Shaheed Fatima, emphasized the personal danger to Harry due to the lack of protection.
“One mustn’t forget the human dimension to this case. There is a person sitting behind me whose safety, whose security and whose life is at stake,” Fatima stated.
Fatima continued, “There’s a person sitting behind me who’s been told he’s getting a special bespoke process when he knows and has experienced a process that is manifestly inferior.”
Who pays for Prince Harry’s security?
The British public funds the security for the royal family. However, since moving abroad, Prince Harry and Meghan have been using a privately funded security team.
Harry has taken legal action over RAVEC’s decision on the level of protection he should receive while in the UK.
The High Court previously stated that Harry’s “status” had changed because he’s no longer a “full-time working member of the royal family.”
Prince Harry argued that his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, can’t feel “at home” or “safe” in the UK unless they have police protection.
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