Prince Harry's team fought like hell overseas to get police protection when he and his family are in England, but the court shot them down ... a rejection that comes amid Harry and Meghan Markle's controversial NYC "chase."
For those unaware, Harry and Meghan had their UK taxpayer-funded protection revoked in 2020 after moving away, and stepping down as working senior royals. His legal team was in court last week trying to get back that protection, but London's High Court said no way.
During the one-day hearing, Harry's attorneys claimed the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures -- which ordered the removal of his protection -- had no right to reject his bid to pay police for some security detail.
Lawyers on the other side argued allowing him the privilege would open up similar situations for wealthy people ... something they saw as dangerous, and the High Court agreed.
The hearing happened one day before the NYC "chase," -- something Harry and Meghan's camp called "near catastrophic" ... although NYPD, and others, said that account was an exaggeration.
TMZ broke the story ... the couple's legal team demanded a photo agency give them all its footage from the late-night kerfuffle -- a request that was denied in a slightly hilarious fashion.