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Prince Harry on the sidelines of a car race in October 2023

Photo: Nick Didlick / dpa

In a legal battle with the UK Home Office, Prince Harry has said that his children are not adequately protected in the UK. This was the main reason for his move to the US in 2020. He does not agree with the claim that he has decided that he is no longer a "working member" of the royal family, his lawyer Shaheed Fatima told the London High Court.

The hearing had begun on Tuesday. At the heart of the matter is whether Harry is entitled to the same safeguards as the rest of the royal family when he travels to his old home. The 39-year-old did not attend the court hearing in person.

"Britain is my home," King Charles III's youngest son said in the statement. He wants his children to feel just as comfortable there as they do in their current place of residence in the USA. But that won't work "if it's not possible to protect them on British soil."

As a result, he and his wife, Meghan, were "deeply saddened to feel compelled to leave the country in 2020," Harry assured in the statement. The move to the USA was therefore not a free decision. Harry also confirmed that he feared for the safety of his wife, who had been repeatedly targeted by the tabloids. He could not put his wife in danger, the statement said.

It's about police protection during visits to the UK

Harry and his wife Meghan had retired from their royal duties in April 2020 and now live in California with their two young children. As a result, the two lost their taxpayer-funded police protection in the UK. As a result, the British Home Office refused to assign police officers for his security during visits to Harry's home country, although the prince himself wanted to pay for the costs of the operation. Harry had already gone to court against this, the lawsuit had been dismissed in May of this year.

The new proceedings before the High Court, which began on Tuesday, are specifically about the decision of the Home Office in February 2020 to grant Prince Harry police protection only on a case-by-case basis.

Attorney James Eadie, who represents the Home Office in the lawsuit, had defended the limited protection promise. The fact that Prince Harry only receives police protection under "certain conditions" and "depending on the context" is due to the "change in his status" that the prince himself has brought about with the decision to become "a member of the royal family without an official function".

Much of the trial took place behind closed doors because confidential information was discussed. A decision is expected at a later date.

mgo/AFP/dpa