If royal watchers (and the media) are feeling confused over Prince Harry’s visit to the U.K., it’s no wonder. First, representatives confirmed that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were coming to see King Charles for the first time since 2022. Then they weren't, and now the children may or may not come to Britain later this week. Regarding where Harry was planning to stay, Buckingham Palace has presented a different version of events than the Duke of Sussex’s representative—and as Queen Elizabeth once famously stated, it appears “recollections may vary” about the accommodation offered to the royal.
On Monday, July 6, multiple outlets reported that Prince Harry had accepted his father King Charles’s offer to stay at Buckingham Palace while visiting London this week, with Prince Harry’s spokesperson claiming that The King’s offer had been withdrawn after he had confirmed he’d be staying at the royal residence.
But sources at Buckingham Palace say that Prince Harry didn’t respond to the invitation by the deadline he was given, meaning they weren’t able to accommodate him with such little notice. As the Telegraph’s royal editor, Hannah Furness, wrote, “Buckingham Palace is not available on lastminute.com.”
It's understood that the Duke of Sussex rejected his father's office to stay at Buckingham Palace on Saturday after back-and-forth about security concerns, but then, as Furness put it, “changed his mind” before arriving in London on July 6.
Staffing requests had not been arranged in anticipation of Harry staying at the palace, with the royal editor noting, “The lack of courtesy to staff making such arrangements has raised eyebrows, as has the continued impression that the Duke considers the palace unsuitable for his needs.”
A court ruling about Prince Harry's taxpayer-funded security is due to arrive Tuesday, presenting a tricky constitutional situation for The King, since he can't appear to be compromised in the litigation. The Duke of Sussex is understood to have secured his own security arrangements for his family during the trip after his request was denied by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures.
Prince Harry is visiting London ahead of his visit to Birmingham for the One Year to Go celebrations surrounding the Invictus Games, and is reported to meeting with various charities close to his heart.
Marie Claire has reached out to representatives for The King and the Duke of Sussex for comment.
