Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, faced a legal setback as a London judge ruled in favor of the UK government's decision to remove his automatic security detail during visits to Britain. The ruling may affect future trips for Prince Harry, his wife, Duchess Meghan, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, to the United Kingdom. The court's decision dictates that Harry's taxpayer-funded security protection in the UK will now be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Despite the ruling, the 39-year-old royal plans to appeal, seeking a fair and lawful application of rules governing his security. The initial denial of automatic taxpayer-funded police protection came in 2020 after Prince Harry and Meghan relinquished their roles as senior working royals. The Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) established that security for the Sussexes would be granted on an individual basis.

This recent ruling follows Prince Harry's visit to the UK to see his father, King Charles III, following a cancer diagnosis. It was reported that Harry traveled alone on this trip, marking his first visit to see his father since May. Previous visits to the UK included Meghan joining Harry for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022, while their children, Archie and Lilibet, were present during the queen's jubilee in June 2022.

Interviewed prior to the court's decision, Prince Harry expressed intentions to make future trips to the UK to see his family. Since relocating to California, the Sussexes have relied on private security. This situation mirrors that of Princess Diana, Harry's late mother, who resorted to private security after her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996. Diana tragically passed away in a car crash in 1997, highlighting the importance of security for the royal family.