Harry drops hotel plan, moves into Buckingham Palace with Meghan

A frustrated Prince Harry has reversed course and accepted an offer to stay at a royal residence during his upcoming UK trip, after a six-month delay in the review of his taxpayer-funded security request.

The Decision: From ‘Not Safe’ to Accepting Palace Stay

The Duke of Sussex, 41, is due to travel to the UK in early July with Meghan Markle and their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, for the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 one-year countdown on July 10. It will mark the family’s first joint UK visit in four years, since Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Harry previously called Britain “not safe” for his family without guaranteed police protection. But a source told the Express: “He has grown increasingly frustrated with the whole process and has had to alter his standpoint”.

After being “initially told a decision would be made within a matter of weeks, it is now more than six months on”, the source said. “He was determined to travel back to the UK with his family around the Invictus event, so he has finally made the decision to accept the offer of staying at a royal residence which he believes will be sufficient for this trip”.

The Offer: Buckingham Palace Extended by King Charles

King Charles reportedly invited Harry and his family to stay at one of his private properties in recent weeks. The residence is understood to be Buckingham Palace. Royal watchers see it as a “meaningful gesture from the monarch to reconcile with his grandchildren, whom he has not met since 2022”.

Harry had previously rejected similar offers. In May 2024 he “turned down an invitation from his father to stay at a royal residence… because of security concerns”. He instead stayed at Althorp House with his uncle, Earl Charles Spencer, or in hotels.

Security Standoff: Why Harry Changed His Mind

Since stepping down as a senior royal in 2020 and losing Frogmore Cottage in 2023, Harry no longer has automatic police protection. His security is now “decided on a case-by-case basis”.

The Duke lost a High Court battle for automatic protection but was granted permission in June 2024 to appeal. A review of his claim for taxpayer-funded security has been pending for over six months, prompting his frustration and change of plans.

Unlike London hotels, all royal residences include “armed guards at access and departure points, as well as the most advanced safety measures in the UK”.

Family Reunion Prospects Remain Unclear

Harry last saw King Charles for 30 minutes in February following the monarch’s cancer diagnosis. No senior royals are currently scheduled to meet him during the July trip.

Sources say Harry is “determined to find his own permanent home in the UK” so Archie and Lilibet “know more about their roots”, but tensions persist over Meghan’s marketing push and past allegations in Spare.