Prince Harry has arrived back in the UK after a row over accommodation at Buckingham Palace overshadowed the start of his UK visit, with the Duke claiming an offer to stay at the royal residence was withdrawn at the last minute.
The Duke of Sussex had initially declined an invitation from King Charles to stay at the palace during his five-day visit, before later changing his mind and requesting to stay for a single night.
By the time he accepted, he was informed that the offer was no longer available.
A spokesman for Prince Harry 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 (the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures) 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.
“It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason.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“It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment.”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 arrived in the UK on Monday without the Duchess of Sussex or their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who reportedly did not travel due to security concerns.
He is expected to spend five days in the UK for engagements including promotional work for the 2027 Invictus Games.
Royal sources have said the palace requires a minimum level of notice to host guests, citing staffing and hospitality needs.
The duke and his team appear frustrated by what they see as shifting reasons behind the withdrawal of the offer.
Initial briefings from the palace suggested the problem was his delayed acceptance.
However, later communications cited Tuesday’s pending High Court judgment in his case against Associated Newspapers as the complicating factor.
The palace reportedly feared that hosting him could compromise the King’s constitutional position given the legal proceedings, which concern allegations of voicemail interception, landline tapping and obtaining information by deception by the publisher of the Daily Mail.
Associated Newspapers denies the allegations.
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The case also includes claims from high-profile figures such as Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, and David Furnish.
The confusion and public disagreement offer another reminder of the challenges in the relationship between Harry and his family.
The duke has made repeated public criticisms of his father, stepmother the Queen, brother the Prince of Wales, and sister-in-law Kate through interviews, his Netflix documentary, and his memoir Spare.
His relationship with Prince William remains strained.
It is not known whether Harry will see the King during this visit, or whether his children will be reunited with their grandfather after four years.
Reports have suggested he may want to take his family to Althorp in Northamptonshire, the resting place of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Any meetings would depend on Charles’ schedule and the availability of suitable accommodation and security, since the Sussexes do not receive taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK except inside royal residences.
King Charles continued with official duties on Monday, taking a ride in a British Army Challenger tank during a visit to Bovington, Dorset.
Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales visited Evelina London Children’s Hospital to discuss its plans for expanding cancer care.
In recent weeks, both sides have indicated communication was ongoing in the lead-up to the visit.
Private conversations are said to have taken place between Harry and the King.
Despite this, the fallout over accommodation has overshadowed the start of the trip.
Royal sources suggest the issue arose from a combination of late notice, staffing limitations, and broader concerns about the timing of the Associated Newspapers case.
They said efforts were made to accommodate Harry, but pointed out that the Royal Household requires practical notice in order to provide appropriate hospitality and security.
The withdrawal of the offer does not rule out future stays at royal residences for the Duke or his family.
It is understood royal accommodation will be made available to Harry and his family for future visits.
However, this reassurance seems to have done little to reduce tensions around this week’s visit.
The accommodation row has not only overshadowed Harry’s arrival, but has also fed speculation about the deeper trust and communication issues between the Sussexes and the wider Royal Family.
The Duke’s team are thought to have spent much of last week arranging alternative security, given the lack of state-funded protection outside royal property.
They waited on a review by the Risk Management Board, which informs Ravec’s security decisions, but learned on Friday that the review had not yet taken place.
With the legal case in the background and the lack of confirmed security, the Duke delayed accepting the accommodation offer.
Once alternative arrangements were confirmed, he requested to stay at Buckingham Palace, but was told it was too late.
This frustration has been compounded by what his spokesman described as inconsistent explanations from the palace over the withdrawal.
The Duke’s supporters have privately questioned whether the offer was ever truly available, or whether it was reconsidered due to the other factors at play, including his ongoing legal battle with Associated Newspapers.
The Royal Family has not commented publicly on the row.
As the week’s events unfold, both sides appear keen to avoid further escalation.
However, the disagreement has served as a reminder of the unresolved issues that continue to strain the relationship between Harry and the rest of the Royal Family, despite recent efforts at private dialogue.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source uk.news.yahoo.com ’
