Prince Harry says he ‘can’t see a world’ where his family come to UK after lost security appeal

2 May 2025, 17:19 | Updated: 2 May 2025, 23:49

The Duke of Sussex has said he 'can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK' after he lost a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the country.

The Duke of Sussex has said he “can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK” after he lost a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the country.

Harry, 40, lost his appeal against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.

The challenge came after Harry and Meghan left the UK and first moved to Canada, and then California, after announcing they wanted to step back as senior royals.

In a summary of the ruling on Friday, judge Sir Geoffrey Vos said Ravec’s decision was “understandable and perhaps predictable”.

Prince Harry spoke about his strained relationship with his family after he lost a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the UK.

He said: "Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things. But I would love reconciliation with my family."

Harry made reference to his father King Charles's cancer battle as he said: "There's no point in continuing to fight anymore. Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has. He won't speak to me because of this security stuff."

The Duke of Sussex said it is “impossible” for him to take his family back to the UK safely after losing his Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements while in the country.

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Speaking to BBC News after the decision he said: “For the time being, it’s impossible for me to take my family back to the UK safely.”

He added: “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point, and the things that they’re going to miss is, well, everything you know.

“I love my country I always have done, despite what some people in that country have done.

“So you know? I miss the UK, I miss parts of the UK. Of course I do. And I think that’s it’s really quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.”

Harry had appealed against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK.

His barristers told a two-day hearing in April that he was “singled out” for “inferior treatment” and that Ravec did not follow its own “terms of reference” when deciding his security.

The Home Office, which is legally responsible for Ravec’s decisions, opposed the appeal, with its lawyers telling the court that a “bespoke” process was used for Harry and that the duke had “no proper basis” for challenging Ravec’s decision.

In a ruling on Friday, Sir Geoffrey Vos, Lord Justice Bean and Lord Justice Edis dismissed Harry’s appeal.

Reading a summary of the decision, Sir Geoffrey said:”The duke was in effect stepping in and out of the cohort of protection provided by Ravec.

“Outside the UK, he was outside the cohort, but when in the UK, his security would be considered as appropriate.”

He continued: “It was impossible to say that this reasoning was illogical or inappropriate, indeed it seemed sensible.”

Sir Geoffrey also said Ravec’s decision was “understandable and perhaps predictable”.