Prince Harry was seen knocking on doors in a London neighborhood earlier this month without his security team, following a legal defeat in his battle over police protection in the United Kingdom. The unusual sighting, which was captured on a home surveillance camera, came just hours after the Duke of Sussex appeared in court wearing the same dark blue suit seen in the video.
The 40-year-old royal was reportedly searching for the residence of a close friend. "He rang one doorbell, was told it was the wrong house, and left immediately," a source told RadarOnline.com. "There's nothing suspicious. There were no drugs. No meltdown."
The incident, which quickly spread online, has intensified public interest in Harry's ongoing dispute with the UK Home Office. In February, a High Court ruled against the prince's challenge to the 2020 decision to downgrade his security detail after he and his wife Meghan Markle stepped back from official royal duties and relocated to California.
On May 2, a judge ruled that Harry's "sense of grievance" over the decision did not establish a legal basis for appeal. Harry's legal team argued he had been "singled out" for "inferior treatment" compared to other public figures.
Following the ruling, Harry expressed deep disappointment. "I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point," he said in an interview. "I'm devastated, not so much as devastated with the loss that I am about the people behind the decision, feeling as though this is okay. Is it a win for them?"
Witnesses described the door-knocking incident as startling. One resident said, "Two of the houses he knocked at are at completely opposite ends of the road, which is about half a mile long. It's a bit odd that he didn't seem to have a clue which house he was aiming for."
Another neighbor recounted their reaction after realizing who had visited. "We were shocked to see it was him on the camera," the person said. "We only really noticed once neighbors started talking, and then we were like, 'Oh yes!'"
A source close to Harry clarified that the visit was motivated by a personal connection. "Harry was just trying to have dinner with people he cared about," the insider said.
Harry's deteriorating relationship with the royal family has also drawn attention. The Duke disclosed that his father, King Charles III-diagnosed with cancer in February 2024-"won't speak to me because of this security stuff." Still, Harry said he remains open to reconciliation. "I would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore," he said. "I don't know how much longer my father has."
The Sussexes currently reside in California with their two children, where they continue to live outside the official royal system.
