Prince Harry is facing intense backlash after his failed legal fight to regain police protection on UK soil left British taxpayers footing a £500,000 bill. The Duke of Sussex has been deridingly dubbed the “prince of litigation” by one royal expert in response to the staggering costs.
According to a Freedom of Information request, Harry’s unsuccessful lawsuit against the UK government over stripped security included over £180,000 for his legal counsel, £230,000 for the government’s legal team, £10,000 for document disclosure, and £2,300 in court fees.
Commentator Michael Cole did not mince words when he spoke to GB News, calling the British public “the mugs in all this” thanks to the prince’s legal campaigning.
“He’s the prince of litigation these days,” Cole stated bluntly. “Is it abuse of the system? I think that’s something for his conscience and for somebody else to decide.”
The sharp rebuke comes as Prince Harry is expected to return to the UK this spring amid reported hopes of retaining some minor royal role. However, the escalating costs and perceived litigiousness of his actions are further straining relations with the monarchy.
Royal author Tom Quinn claimed the Duke is “under pressure” from wife Meghan Markle to preserve family ties, allegedly for “commercial reasons” related to their media ventures and brand.
Quinn predicted Harry would likely have a “short and formal” meeting with his father King Charles, who he described as “more forgiving” toward the younger son than Prince William.
The sitdown would mark Harry’s first reunion with The Firm since the bombshell release of his memoir Spare, which sparked a firestorm with its revelations about the royals.
He is scheduled to make a high-profile appearance on May 8, delivering a speech at the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary event at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
However, the hefty legal bill and stinging “prince of litigation” jab have become major PR liabilities as Prince Harry seeks to rehabilitate his public image ahead of the UK visit.
