Prince Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace during his latest royal UK visit, but the reason has quickly become a matter of dispute.
While Palace sources say his team responded too late to secure the accommodation, the Duke of Sussex’s side claims an accepted offer was suddenly taken away. Dive in for more details.
Prince Harry Reportedly Accepted The Royal Offer Too Late
According to Buckingham Palace, Prince Harry was offered accommodation at a royal residence for his London visit. However, royal sources claimed his team failed to confirm the offer in time and then formally declined it on Saturday.
The Palace said Harry’s team later changed its position and accepted the offer that same day. By then, officials reportedly could not arrange the required staffing and preparations. Harry was informed on Saturday evening that he would not be able to stay.
Prince Harry’s spokesperson strongly disputed the Palace’s version. His team said it understood that the accommodation offer had been “withdrawn” after Harry formally accepted it, calling the decision “disappointing”.
“It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment,” the spokesperson said. The disagreement appears to concern only a one-night stay, raising questions about why arrangements could not still be made.
Harry’s Court Case May Have Added To The Concern
Palace sources also pointed to concerns over the timing of the result in Harry’s case against Associated Newspapers.
Officials reportedly worried about the optics for King Charles. He must remain neutral, if Harry made a controversial response to the ruling during the stay at the symbolic headquarters.
However, the Sussex team rejected that explanation, arguing that the timing of the court result had already been known. The conflicting accounts have now exposed the continuing distrust between Harry’s camp and Buckingham Palace.
Now, this makes a potential meeting between the duke and King Charles even more complicated. Stay tuned to Soap Opera Daily for more Royal news updates.