Prince Harry’s UK Trip In Accommodation Flap After Buckingham Palace U-Turn Prince Harry ran into immediate complications as he arrived in the UK for a solo, five-day trip. There were conflicting reports about his housing options for his visit after his team had previously been told he had accepted an invitation to stay with King Charles at Buckingham Palace.
What went wrong? Palace officials eventually clarified that there was a time limit, and the King’s offer was rescinded on Friday – creating a sense of continued strained relationship between the Sussexes and the Royal Household.
Charles’ invitation: It is understood a royal residence was offered to Harry at the king’s invitation, as a matter of kindness while he was visiting London. The king’s team had specified a deadline to finalize acceptance.
It was reported that Charles’ aides received a message from Harry’s team, indicating that he initially rejected the offer.
Afterward, a communication came in indicating a willingness to stay for one night. By then, the clock had run out on being able to confirm sufficient household staff, security details, and general logistics for a royal visit.
“Common courtesy dictates a minimum level of notification is given to the staff who operate royal residences to arrange a royal visit and that clearly was not received,” a royal source said.
The timing of when a ruling on whether he should have access to state funded security in Britain was to be handed down may have influenced the king not hosting his youngest son at his official residence during that time, official sources indicate. Palace officials cited a 3 PM deadline for the acceptance notice, as required under royal protocol.
‘Disappointing’: A spokesperson for Prince Harry commented, “It is disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn at the last moment. Especially when officials were aware of the scheduling parameters well in advance.” They emphasized they had communicated clearly the timing of any offer made.
Royal Family – Latest News and Updates
‘Timing is everything’: Harry has traveled to Britain alone, with his wife Meghan and children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet remaining in California, due to their ongoing security issues.
This, however, did not impact his schedule which includes attending a service to mark the official countdown to The Invictus Games, in Birmingham.