Prince Harry faces royal drama amid return home
USA TODAY’s royal reporter Jennifer Hassan shares the latest on Prince Harry’s return to London amid confusion over his Buckingham Palace stay.
LONDON – Prince Harry‘s coming home, and there’s already another royal drama erupting.
Multiple British media outlets, including the BBC, reported Monday, July 6, that the estranged prince would be staying at Buckingham Palace during the London portion of his visit the the United Kingdom. The reports cited a representative for Harry, Duke of Sussex.
Around an hour later, Buckingham Palace sources told the BBC the opposite: The prince will not be staying at the London landmark.
Harry, 41, was offered the chance to stay at Buckingham Palace but missed last week’s deadline to formally respond, the BBC reported citing palace sources. The palace withdrew the invitation over the weekend, the report said.
To host a guest, the palace needs a minimum notice period to ensure a plan is in place and that staff from the Royal Household is provided, the outlet said.
Harry’s team had a different version of events, however, telling the BBC that the offer was withdrawn by the palace after it had already been accepted by the duke, further fueling the confusion. Harry’s team called the move “disappointing.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Buckingham Palace and Harry and Meghan‘s spokesperson for comment.
It was always going to be a tense homecoming for Prince Harry
Harry’s visit was widely expected to be a strained one, given the ongoing rift between the duke and the rest of the royal family. The prince has not seen his father, King Charles, since September. His wife Meghan and their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, have not set foot on British soil as a family of four since 2022.
Harry has only seen his brother, Prince William, a handful of times in the last four years and, in his 2023 memoir, “Spare,” accused the future king of physically assaulting him during an argument in London in 2019. Harry has, more recently, expressed hope for a family reconciliation.
The confusion surrounding the duke’s accommodation comes after a representative for Harry confirmed to USA TODAY on Saturday, July 4 that Harry, 41, will no longer bring Duchess Meghan, 44, and their children to London. It is unclear if they will join him later in the week, when he heads up to the north of the country.
The decision came amid lengthy discussions over what the security arrangements would be for the family. Meghan and Harry retreated from the royal spotlight in 2020, sparking global controversy and dividing opinion in Britain. They currently reside in California, Meghan’s home state.
As a result of stepping back from his role as a working member of the royal family, the prince’s security was downgraded. For this week’s trip, the Sussexes will not be provided with tax-payer funded police security.
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