Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry’s team clash over London accommodation

A disagreement has emerged between Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry's representatives over accommodation arrangements during the Duke of Sussex's latest visit to London.

A disagreement has emerged between Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry’s representatives over accommodation arrangements during the Duke of Sussex’s latest visit to London. Both sides have presented different versions of events, highlighting the continuing tensions and lack of communication between the royal household and Prince Harry’s team.

Earlier on Monday, Prince Harry’s representatives announced that he had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace during his visit to the United Kingdom. However, the palace later said the duke would not be staying there because his team had failed to respond within the required time. Royal sources said an offer had been made for accommodation at a royal residence, but confirmation was not received before the deadline. According to the palace, Prince Harry was informed on Saturday evening that it would no longer be possible to arrange his stay.

Prince Harry’s spokesperson disputed that account and said the accommodation offer had already been accepted before it was withdrawn. The spokesperson described the decision as disappointing and questioned why the arrangements had been cancelled after acceptance.

Buckingham Palace maintains that the duke’s team initially declined the invitation before later changing its decision. Palace officials said that by the time Prince Harry accepted the offer, it was too late to organise accommodation and staffing for the visit. The palace also stated that the duke had been informed of the final decision on Saturday.

Reports suggest there were additional concerns within the palace about the timing of Prince Harry’s stay. A court ruling related to his legal case against Associated Newspapers is expected during his visit, and officials reportedly wanted to avoid any perception that King Charles was connected to public comments the duke might make about the case. As head of state, the King is expected to remain politically neutral and separate from ongoing legal matters.

Prince Harry’s team rejected that explanation, saying the timing of the court decision had already been publicly known before the visit was confirmed. The spokesperson argued that this should not have affected accommodation arrangements and questioned the sudden change in position.

The disagreement has cast a shadow over what was expected to be a busy week of charity engagements for Prince Harry in the United Kingdom. Despite the dispute, he is still expected to attend scheduled events promoting the Invictus Games, which will take place in Birmingham next year. His programme also includes charity visits in London and Birmingham.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and the couple’s two children are not expected to join him for the London part of the visit. Reports indicate that the family decided against travelling together because they will not receive taxpayer funded police protection during their stay in Britain. However, there is still a possibility that Meghan, Archie and Lilibet could join Prince Harry later in Birmingham for activities linked to the Invictus Games.

The latest disagreement has also raised questions about whether Prince Harry will meet King Charles during the visit. No official details have been released and the conflicting statements from both sides have added further uncertainty to any possible family meeting.

Prince Harry has remained involved in a long running legal battle over his security arrangements in Britain since stepping back from royal duties in 2020 and moving to the United States. He has repeatedly said that concerns about security have influenced his decision not to bring his family to the UK. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were last together in Britain in 2022 during the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Since then, Prince Harry has returned several times on his own for legal proceedings and charitable commitments.