The High Court in London has come to a decision in Prince Harry's case against the UK government on Tuesday, May 23rd. Following an initial hearing last week, Judge Mr. Justice Chamberlain announced he would not give Harry permission to seek judicial review of the government's decision to cut off his police protection, according to People.

Prince Harry took action against the UK Home Office after they removed his taxpayer-funded police protection after he and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down from their royal duties in January 2020. After the exit, which the couple explained was for their safety and privacy in their Netflix docuseries Harry & Megan, they relocated to California with their now four-year-old son Prince Archie. Megan gave birth to their second child, Princess Lilibet, in June 2021.

The decision came over a year after Prince Harry first launched the case in September 2021. "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the U.K.," a spokesperson for Prince Harry said at the time per People. "In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home."

It continued, "The Duke first offered to pay personally for U.K. police protection for himself and his family in January of 2020 at Sandringham. That offer was dismissed. He remains willing to cover the cost of security, as not to impose on the British taxpayer. As is widely known, others who have left public office and have an inherent threat risk receive police protection at no cost to them."

It also follows the recent "near-catastrophic" car chase after he, Markle, and his mother-in-law were hounded by paparazzi upon leaving an event. The event eerily paralleled the situation that led to the death of his mother Princess Diana in 1997.

Heather Maack