OUR Prince Harry lost an appeal seeking judicial review of a decision that he was allowed to pay privately for police protection while he was in London.

The decision came after the Metropolitan Police Chiefs insisted in court that their officers were not “mercenaries” for the rich and famous, arguing that allowing Harry to pay for officers’ security would set “an unacceptable precedent.”

Harry, the second son of King Charles III, pays for bodyguards at home in California and on trips. The Duke of Sussex wanted to keep the Royal and Special Protective Service (RASP) in the UK, which protected him when he was a working member of the royal family. However, he has lost this ability since he retired and ceased to be a “working king” in 2020.

The decision to withdraw public funding was made by the Executive Committee for the Protection of the Rights and Public Persons, known by the acronym RAVEC, which approves the safety of the royal family and high-profile individuals such as the prime minister. But Prince Harry has questioned how the decision was made by the Commission.

Asked about this, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak downplayed concerns about the safety of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, saying that pursuing them “is not my priority.”

Harry has been embroiled in numerous legal disputes in the UK. Among other things, he sued the publishers of the three biggest tabloids over allegations that they hacked into his phones and invaded his privacy.

The fifth in line to the throne is expected to appear in court early next month.

According to the Washington Post