‘My worst fears have been confirmed…’: Prince Harry faces emotional toll. Here's why

Prince Harry is grappling with the emotional toll of a legal battle that has forced him to face a painful truth he’s struggled to move on from since leaving the U.K. in 2020 — one that underscores his strained relationship with the royal family, according to PEOPLE.

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Speaking to PEOPLE after leaving court on April 9, Harry admitted to feeling “exhausted and overwhelmed,” saying, “My worst fears have been confirmed through the legal disclosures in this case — and that’s really sad.”The 40-year-old Duke of Sussex spent two intense days at London’s Royal Courts of Justice, fully engaged as he took notes and closely followed the appeal proceedings concerning the 2020 decision to revoke automatic state-funded security for him and his wife, Meghan Markle.

“We were trying to create this happy house,” Harry told PEOPLE. After leaving the Sandringham Summit in January 2020, Harry believed their security arrangements would remain unchanged. Court documents later revealed that Queen Elizabeth, in personal letters, had expressed her support for the couple’s need for “effective security.”

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Sources previously told PEOPLE that Charles no longer takes Harry’s calls or replies to his letters. Efforts to reconnect with his brother, Prince William — through calls, texts, and messages — have also gone unanswered.

During the two-day court hearings, Harry’s legal team argued that the RAVEC committee had “diverted” from its usual procedures, effectively singling Harry out for “different, unjustified, and inferior treatment.” They also claimed he had been denied the same security privileges granted to others in the “Other VIP Category,” which includes celebrities and former prime ministers, PEOPLE reported.

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The Duke of Sussex has been involved in multiple legal battles, including a recent victory in January 2025, when he received an apology and an eight-figure settlement from the publisher of The Sun for illegal actions carried out on their behalf.

However, this current case holds a deeper personal significance. Speaking to PEOPLE as he exited the courtroom, Harry shared, “This one has always mattered the most,” emphasising that the issue strikes at the core of his family life and his future.