Prince Harry is losing his court battle against the British government over his security arrangements. In a setback for the Duke of Sussex, a High Court judge ruled on Friday that Harry had not provided "sufficient evidence" to support his claim that he would be "unable to return to the UK safely" without police protection.
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The ruling is a major blow to Harry, who has been living in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Harry had argued that he needed police protection because of the "substantial public interest" in his safety. However, the judge found that Harry had not shown that the risk to his safety was "reasonably foreseeable" or that he was "unable to obtain adequate private security."
The judge also found that Harry's decision to step back from royal duties had "diminished" his public profile and that he was therefore "less of a target" for those who might wish to harm him.
The ruling is a victory for the British government, which had argued that Harry was no longer entitled to police protection because he was no longer a working royal. The government had also argued that Harry's decision to live in California meant that he was no longer subject to the same security risks as he would be if he lived in the UK.
Harry has said that he is "disappointed" by the ruling, but he has vowed to continue to fight for his right to security. He has said that he is "willing to step back from his public duties" if it means that he can be "guaranteed" police protection.