

Prince Harry has landed in London, but don’t expect a royal family reunion just yet. The Duke of Sussex, now 40, arrived solo on April 6 for a two-day royal visit, leaving wife Meghan Markle and their children, Archie, and Lilibet, back in California. His visit coincides with a rocky time for the royals: tensions with his brother, Prince William, remain high, and their father, King Charles III, 76, is coping with a cancer diagnosis revealed in February 2024. That’s the last time Harry sees his father, a brief encounter that underscores their strained relationship.
This time, a face-to-face is off the table – Charles and Queen Camilla, are in Italy for a four-day state visit that doubles as a celebration of their 20th wedding anniversary. The trip, green-lit by the British government, is aimed at strengthening ties with EU nations after Brexit. Highlights include Charles becoming the first British monarch to address the Italian parliament and a dazzling flypast between Britain’s Red Arrows and Italy’s Frecce Tricolori, highlighting defense partnerships. Meanwhile, Harry’s court date stems from a fierce battle over his British security detail – a saga that’s kept him in the headlines.
A Prince in Court and Under Pressure
You’d think being the King’s son would spare Prince Harry this kind of drama, right? Not quite. His decision to ditch royal duties in 2020 and jet off to Montecito with Meghan flipped the script. Back then, he and Meghan felt the royal institution wasn’t shielding them, prompting their exit-coined “Megxit” by the tabloids. They hoped to keep supporting the late Queen Elizabeth II as private citizens, but that move cost Harry his automatic, taxpayer-funded security detail in the UK. Now, every visit turns into a legal slugfest. Showing up at London’s Court of Appeal on April 8 in a sharp navy suit, Harry’s battling to restore protection for his family during UK trips. It’s a far cry from the gilded life he once knew, and stepping away has only cranked up the scrutiny on him-way more than if he’d stayed put in London.
The Security Showdown Heats Up
Harry’s legal battle began years ago, and it’s reaching a critical stage. After losing his security perks in February 2020, courtesy of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), he fired back with a request for judicial review in January 2022. He’s not asking for the VIP treatment he had as a working royal – just a fair shot at security, he says. The British High Court ruled against him in February 2024, saying the government could set security levels for non-working royals. Harry lost his first appeal in April, but overturned that ruling by summer.
Now, in the Court of Appeal, his lawyer, Shaheed Fatima KC, is swinging hard. She argues that RAVEC botched its own process, skipping the Risk Management Board – a crew of threat-analysis pros – and slapping Harry with a customized security plan that no one else gets. “He has been singled out for unfair, inferior treatment,” Fatima told the packed courtroom on April 8, as Harry listened intently. The Home Office’s Sir James Eadie KC pushed back, insisting that Harry’s protection wasn’t being axed, but adjusted to his new status, with a promise of future coverage if it makes sense. It’s a judgment call, Eadie said – no black and white answers here.
Across the pond in Rome, Charles is busy with diplomacy and celebrating his anniversary with Queen Camilla, while Harry dukes it out in court. The second day of the hearing, scheduled for April 9, could go deeper in a closed session, comparing Harry’s deal with others. Win or lose, this saga is a stark reminder that giving up the crown doesn’t mean giving up the spotlight.
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