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Prince Harry has lost a High Court appeal against the government over the level of his safety protection when in the UK.
The Duke of Sussex had been trying to overturn a ruling that reduced his security status after he ceased to be a “working royal.”
His lawyers argued there was injustice in the way the decision was made.
The Home Office previously said his safety was decided on a case-by-case basis.
In December, when the challenge was brought, Home Office lawyers told the High Court that Prince Harry would continue to have publicly funded police security, but that these would be “tailor-made arrangements, specifically tailored to him.” instead of the automatic security provided for full-time working royalty.
Much of the legal proceedings, covering security measures for senior figures, were carried out in private in December, with the ruling being delivered by retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane on Wednesday morning.
The ruling could have implications for the duke’s future visits to the UK, as he previously argued that the lower level of security has made it difficult to bring his family to the country.
In the ruling, Sir Peter rejected the Duke’s case, finding that there had been no illegality in making the decision to downgrade Prince Harry’s security status, and that any departure from policy was justified.
He considered that the decision was neither irrational nor marred by procedural injustice.
In the partially redacted 51-page document, Sir Peter said Harry’s lawyers had adopted “an inappropriate formalist interpretation of the Ravec process”.
Ravec, or the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, is responsible for the security of members of the Royal Family and other VIPs. It has delegated responsibilities from the Home Office and involves the Metropolitan Police, the Cabinet Office and the royal household.
The ruling also found that the “‘tailored’ process devised” for Prince Harry by Ravec “was and is legally sound.”
Last year, Prince Harry lost a legal bid to be allowed to make private payments for police protection when he was visiting the UK, in a case that also focused on concerns about reduced security since he stopped. be a full-time working royal.
Prince Harry, who was not present at the December hearing, lives in the United States with his wife Meghan and their two children.