Following Prince Harry’s emotional BBC interview and court defeat over royal security, Buckingham Palace breaks silence, reaffirming legal decisions and denying royal interference.
May 3, 2025: Buckingham Palace has issued a strong and rare statement after Prince Harry lost his latest legal appeal over the removal of state-funded security during visits to the UK.
Hours after the Court of Appeal dismissed the Duke of Sussex’s challenge on May 2, Harry gave an emotional interview to BBC News, expressing a desire for reconciliation with his father, King Charles III, and concern over the King’s health.
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In response, a palace spokesperson said, “All of these issues have been examined repeatedly and meticulously by the courts, with the same conclusion reached on each occasion.”
Judge Sir Geoffrey Vos, in his ruling, stated that Harry’s security needs were appropriately considered by RAVEC, the government’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee. Vos noted, “It was impossible… to say that this reasoning was illogical or inappropriate. Indeed, it seemed sensible.”
Harry, who returned to London for the hearing in April, lost access to automatic security when he and Meghan Markle stepped back from their royal roles in 2020. The court reiterated that state-funded protection cannot be guaranteed during personal visits.
Despite the court’s judgment, Harry insisted the legal battle was about ensuring the safety of his wife and children — Archie and Lilibet — when visiting the UK. He released a statement through sussex.com, calling the appeal a “last resort” and highlighting that the Royal Household had direct influence on RAVEC’s decisions.
In his BBC interview, Harry said, “Life is precious. I don’t know how much longer my father has. He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff, but it would be nice to reconcile.”
He added that some family members “will never forgive [him] for writing a book”, referencing his 2023 memoir Spare.
The palace emphasized that the King does not have control over security protocols and rejected claims of unfair treatment. The situation has left Harry stating that he “can’t see a world” in which he would bring his children back to the UK without proper protection.
King Charles, who is undergoing cancer treatment, has not publicly commented on his son’s remarks or legal setbacks.
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Prince Harry, King Charles, Royal Family, Buckingham Palace statement, BBC interview, RAVEC, royal security, Meghan Markle, Archie, Lilibet, Spare memoir, royal news, UK court ruling, sussex.com, Prince Harry security case, British monarchy, royal reconciliation