Topline
Prince Harry said Friday he wants to reconcile with the Royal Family, in an interview following the dismissal of his court case challenging the U.K. government’s decision to pull back his security detail, saying that he was disappointed in the ruling but, “there’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.”
Harry lost his appeal challenging his reduced security detail. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty … More
Key Facts
A British court dismissed Harry’s appeal Friday, arguing that the government committee that made the decision acted in a “sensible” way when it reduced his security detail after Harry stepped down as a senior royal in 2020, according to the BBC.
Harry claimed the committee’s decision was influenced by the royal household, and that his father “won’t speak to me because of this security stuff.”
The Duke of Sussex added there have been “so many disagreements” between himself and some of his family, saying he had “forgiven” them and that he would “love reconciliation with my family.”
Prince Harry appeared motivated to end the family quarrel because of his father’s age, saying he did “not know how much longer” the 76-year-old king has and that, “There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious.”
King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024 and has received successful treatments for the illness, the BBC reported.
Prince Harry told the BBC the change to his security has made it so that he can only safely return to the U.K. if invited by his family, saying after his loss in court, “I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point.”
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Chief Critic
British media personality Piers Morgan said Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, should have their titles stripped from them, adding “They are never going to stop attacking [King Charles III]
, the Monarchy, and the Royal Family – all while simultaneously enriching themselves from their royal status.”
What Kind Of Security Does The Royal Family Get?
Top members of the Royal Family receive around-the-clock security primarily provided by the Metropolitan Police’s Royal Protection Squad. The level of security for other members of the family can vary based on their location, potential risks and if they are working in an official capacity.
Key Background
The level of security Prince Harry receives in the U.K. was downgraded after he stepped down as a senior member of the Royal Family in 2020, after which he moved to the U.S. with his wife and first child. His security measures while in the U.K. have since been considered on a case-by-case basis, meaning his detail varies based on what he and his family are doing or where they are traveling—and he must provide advance notice. The prince lost his challenge in court last year and brought the case to an appeals court that ruled against him Friday, with one of the judges saying the reduction in security was “an understandable and perhaps predictable reaction to the Duke of Sussex having stepped back from royal duties and left the U.K,” according to The New York Times. Prince Harry had argued his case should not have been handled by the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures committee and instead put before the Risk Management Board, which would have evaluated his family’s security needs and any threats to them. The BBC said the court also found that Prince Harry made “powerful” arguments about the threats he, his wife and two children face, but noted his “sense of grievance” did not “translate into a legal argument.” The prince has visited the U.K. a handful of times in recent years, traveling to the country for the coronation of his father in 2023 and the funeral of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022. Meghan attended the funeral but did not appear at the coronation.
Further Reading
Prince Harry tells BBC he wants ‘reconciliation’ with Royal Family (BBC)
Prince Harry loses court battle over security protection after stepping down as full-time royal (Forbes)
