Royals

Prince Harry slapped with hefty bill after crushing legal defeat

The Duke of Sussex is expected to pay the UK government's legal fees on top of his own

By Web Desk

June 04, 2025

Prince Harry recently lost his bid to attain more police protection in the UK

Prince Harry’s legal battle to reinstate full police protection in the UK has ended in a costly defeat.

The Duke of Sussex “comprehensively lost” the High Court case last year, with his subsequent appeal dismissed in May. As the losing party, he’s now expected to cover up to 90% of the government’s legal fees, which have already totaled £656,324 — £554,000 from the initial trial and another £102,000 from the appeal.

The numbers include more than £241,000 for barristers and £394,000 for government solicitors. His own legal costs haven’t been revealed but are believed to be just as steep, possibly bringing the full financial fallout to around £1.5 million.

Harry had flown in from California to attend the April hearing in person. His legal team argued that stripping him of armed police protection endangered his life, citing his high-profile status and military service.

After the appeal failed, Harry told the BBC in a bombshell interview: “I wish someone had told me beforehand” there was “no way to win.” He added the case was the one that “mattered the most” out of all his legal battles.

In the court’s ruling, Sir Geoffrey Vos acknowledged Harry’s position was “powerful and moving” but added that his “sense of grievance” failed to hold up as a legal argument.