Prince Harry has lost an initial bid to appeal against a High Court ruling over his personal security in the UK.

In February, the Duke of Sussex lost his legal challenge against the Home Office’s decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK.

His lawyers had argued that he was “singled out” and treated “less favourably” in the decision, which meant he would no longer be given the “same degree” of taxpayer-funded personal protective security when visiting.

However, the High Court ruled the decision to change his security status was not unlawful or “irrational”, and that there had been no “procedural unfairness”.

On Monday, a judicial spokesperson said that Harry has lost his initial bid to appeal against the decision.

Harry, along with other senior royals, had received full publicly-funded security protection provided by the state before he and his wife, Meghan Markle, decided to step back from royal duties to pursue a life in California, where they moved in June 2020.

His lawyers told a hearing in December that the decision to take this away subjected him to unlawful, unfair and unjustifiable treatment.

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But the government’s legal team said the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures, known as RAVEC, had not decided Harry should not receive protection, but that he should not have it on the same basis.

The High Court agreed, concluding that there had been no unlawfulness in the decision and dismissed Harry’s legal challenge.

Following the High Court’s refusal to grant the Duke of Sussex permission to appeal the decision, he can still apply directly to the Court of Appeal, a court spokesperson said.

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