Prince Harry loses appeal over security protection while in the U.K.

The Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that a committee hadn't treated Harry unfairly when it decided to review his protection on a case-by-case basis each time he visits the U.K.

Prince Harry lost his appeal Friday challenging the U.K. government’s decision to strip him of his publicly funded security after he stepped away from royal family duties and moved to the U.S.

The Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that a committee hadn’t treated Harry unfairly when it decided to review his protection on a case-by-case basis each time he visits the U.K.

Justice Geoffrey Vos said in a 21-page judgement that the Duke of Sussex felt badly treated and his lawyer had made powerful and moving arguments on his behalf. But he said that Harry’s grievance wasn’t legal grounds to challenge the decision to deny him regular security.

“From the Duke of Sussex’s point of view, something may indeed have gone wrong, in that an unintended consequence of his decision to step back from royal duties and spend the majority of his time abroad has been that he has been provided with a more bespoke, and generally lesser, level of protection than when he was in the U.K.,” Vos said. “But that does not, of itself, give rise to a legal complaint.”

The ruling is likely to leave the Duke of Sussex with a large bill to pay the U.K. government’s legal fees — in addition to his own lawyers’ costs.

It wasn’t immediately clear if he would try to appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court.

The ruling upheld a High Court judge’s decision last year that found that a “bespoke” plan for the Duke of Sussex’s security wasn’t unlawful, irrational or unjustified.

Harry made a rare appearance for the two-day hearing last month as his lawyer argued that his life was in danger and the Royal and VIP Executive Committee had singled him out for inferior treatment.