The Duke of Sussex has arrived in the United Kingdom, with his accommodation plans for the trip descending into disarray. Harry made a U-turn and requested to stay for just one night at Buckingham Palace, only to be informed that he had accepted the King’s offer too late. He was also told that his presence could compromise his father’s constitutional position, with judgment due in the duke’s High Court case against Associated Newspapers on Tuesday.
Accommodation Offer Withdrawn
Harry arrived back in the UK on Monday, his spokesman confirmed. The duke’s spokesman earlier described it as “disappointing” that the offer from King Charles had been “withdrawn at the last moment,” with the legal fight cited as the reason. Questions have been raised on the Sussex side as to whether the offer of a bed at a royal residence was ever intended to be available once Harry had accepted it. However, it is understood that royal accommodation will be made available to Harry and his family for future visits.
The duke is believed to have arrived in London solo, without the Duchess of Sussex and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after they pulled out of a visit to the capital due to security concerns. As exasperation appeared to grow in both camps, it is understood that the duke initially turned down the offer for himself and his family to stay at the palace on Saturday, before switching later in the day and asking to spend the night there himself.
Logistical and Constitutional Concerns
The appropriate hospitality and staffing provision was said to be no longer available, with Buckingham Palace also believing the longstanding legal case had complicated the matter and could compromise the King’s constitutional position. It is said that while every effort was made to facilitate Harry’s stay, as a courtesy to staff and others involved, the Royal Household requires a minimum level of notice to ensure he could be hosted appropriately at a royal residence.
Harry and a group of other household names, including Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, and his husband David Furnish, are expected to find out on Tuesday whether they have won their High Court cases against the Daily Mail’s publisher over allegations of voicemail interception, landline tapping, and obtaining information by deception, which Associated Newspapers denies.
Impact on Family Relations
The confusion and accusations that look set to overshadow Harry’s trip to the UK will do little to help the duke’s often troubled relationship with his father. Harry is hoping to reunite Archie, seven, and five-year-old Lili with their grandfather the King, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, for the first time in four years, but it is not clear whether this will go ahead. Meghan, Archie, and Lili could join Harry outside of London, with reports he wants to take them to see the final resting place of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, at Althorp in Northamptonshire.
It is also not yet known when or whether Harry will see his father during his trip. The King has a busy run of engagements this week, while Harry is undertaking five days of appearances in London and Birmingham, including marking the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games.
Royal Duties Continue
Charles carried on with his official duties on Monday, when he took a ride in a British Army Challenger tank in Bovington, Dorset. Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales visited the Evelina London Children’s Hospital to hear about its cancer care expansion plans.
The duke criticized his father Charles, stepmother the Queen, brother the Prince of Wales, and sister-in-law Kate in his Oprah interview, Netflix documentary, interviews, and his autobiography Spare, after stepping down from the working monarchy six years ago. His rift with William is ongoing and shows no sign of abating.
Frustration Over Changing Reasons
Harry is said to have acted in good faith throughout the process of trying to sort his accommodation, spending most of last week making alternative arrangements before formally accepting the offer for himself – for a single night. Private conversations are said to have taken place between the duke and his father. Harry and his team are understood to be frustrated that the reasons given for the withdrawal of the offer shifted from not accepting the accommodation to the forthcoming Associated Newspapers legal judgment.
A spokesman for the duke said: “I am aware of multiple briefings from Buckingham Palace last week suggesting that the duke had not accepted the offer of accommodation at a royal residence. Following Ravec’s decision not to provide security for his family, the duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements. Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend.”
The spokesman added: “It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason. Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment.”
The duke had been waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the process by which Ravec rules on his security requirements, but found out on Friday this has yet to take place. The Sussex family were not eligible to receive taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK, other than when they were within royal residences.
