Prince Harry loses security court ruling, which could affect his visits to the UK

Prince Harry He suffered a legal defeat in a ruling that may have implications for whether he and his wife, Duchess Meghan and their two childrenArchie and Lilibet, visit the United Kingdom.

A judge in London ruled on Wednesday that the British government had the right to strip Harry of security details during his visits to Britain.

A spokesman for the duke told ABC News that Harry, 39, intends to appeal the judge's ruling.

The spokesman said in a statement: “The Duke of Sussex will appeal today’s ruling rejecting his claim for judicial review against the decision-making body RAVEC, which includes the Home Office, the Royal Household and the Metropolitan Police.” He is not asking for preferential treatment, but rather a fair and lawful application of RAVEC's own rules, ensuring that he receives the same consideration as others according to RAVEC's written policy… The Duke of Sussex hopes to get justice from the Court of Appeal, and is not commenting further while the case is ongoing .

Harry was fifth in line to the throne Fighting against the 2020 resolution By the government, which subsequently denied his family automatic police protection while he was in Britain He and Meghan stepped down from their roles As senior working members of the royal family.

At the time, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as RAVEC, made the decision to grant security to the Sussexes on a case-by-case basis.

Harry, who now lives in California with Meghan and their children, said he wants police protection for his family while on British soil, and is willing to pay the cost himself.

The judge's ruling in Harry's security case came less than two weeks after Harry's He took an overnight flight to the UK. to see his father, King Charles IIIWhich is Fighting an unknown type of cancer.

Harry's visit to Charles was the first time he had seen his father since last May He traveled to the United Kingdom to attend Charles' coronation. Harry traveled alone to attend the coronation ceremony and see his father earlier this month.

The last time Meghan was known to have joined Harry in the UK was in September 2022, when They both attended Harry's grandmother's funeralQueen Elizabeth II.

Harry and Meghan's children, Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2, will join their parents on a trip to the UK in June 2022. Attending the Queen's Jubilee. Archie, who was born in the UK, and Lilibet, who was born in California, are not known to have visited the UK since then.

In an interview with him earlier this month, before the court ruling, ABC News' Harry Lowell Reeve said He has upcoming trips to the UK on his schedule.

Harry said: “I have other trips planned that will take me across the UK, or back to the UK, so I will stop and see my family as much as I can.”

Since moving to California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have relied on a privately funded security team.

The family's current security situation is similar to that of Harry's late mother Princess Diana Who had to rely on private security protection after her divorce from Harry's father, Prince Charles, in 1996.

One year later, in 1997, Diana died in a car accident in Paris after the car she was traveling in was chased by paparazzi.

“When Diana died, she didn't have police protection. She had a private security team at that point,” ABC News royal contributor Victoria Murphy said. he previously told ABC News. “And I think it's very clear that Prince Harry feels that police protection is superior and that's what he wants for his family.”