Prince Harry ghosts King Charles over royal residence supply as rift grows
King Charles has offered Prince Harry accommodation at a royal residence during his upcoming UK visit, but the Duke of Sussex has yet to respond as his legal battle continues
No response so far (Image: Juan Ocampo, NBAE via Getty Images)
The King remains in a state of uncertainty as Prince Harry has yet to accept his offer of accommodation at a royal residence for next week’s visit, even while the Duke of Sussex criticised the government for refusing him taxpayer-funded security.
Palace insiders have voiced considerable annoyance that Harry has not finalised his schedule and hasn’t responded to Buckingham Palace’s proposal to address his security worries. The Duke has committed to exploring “every available option” to allow his wife Meghan, and their children, Archie and Lilibet, to join him in the UK.
However, sources close to Harry suggested he had been put “in an impossible situation” following the Home Office’s dismissal of his final plea for government-funded security protection during the visit.
The prince has planned a five-day visit starting next week, during which he has arranged multiple public engagements. Friends of the Duke disclosed he “is not in a good place” and believes “dark forces” are hindering him from travelling with his family to secure a meeting with his father.
Last Friday, it was announced that Meghan, 44, would join him on July 10 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for a ceremony marking the one-year countdown to the city hosting Harry’s Invictus Games competition. But merely 24 hours later, the Sussexes’ team revealed the family trip was put at risk after the Home Office refused to accommodate Harry’s security requirements, reports the Express US.
The 41 year old prince has been embroiled in a prolonged legal battle with officials since he and the Duchess stepped back from their royal roles in March 2020 to move to California.
The couple has amassed tens of millions of pounds since leaving their royal positions in March 2020, leading detractors to contend they should finance their own protection measures.
The prince had organised a five-day trip for next week, but revealed today that he is desperately seeking a resolution to allow the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to accompany him.
The duke had been waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), which forms part of the process through which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) establishes his security requirements, but discovered on Friday that this evaluation has not yet taken place.
A royal source said, “Buckingham Palace is still waiting for the Duke’s decision. It is incredibly frustrating given arrangements need to be made to facilitate any guest of the King’s accepting an invitation to visit a royal residence.”
Prince Harry is keen to bring his family to reconnect with his father for the first time since they were all present in the UK during the summer of 2022, when they attended the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. There are expectations that King Charles will be able to see his youngest grandchildren for the first time in four years.
Given that the Sussexes were unlikely to be granted taxpayer-funded security protection during their UK visit, the King directed his staff to offer his son the opportunity to stay at a royal residence, thought to be Buckingham Palace, to alleviate their worries.
Harry was keen to bring his family to Windsor Castle to show his children around the historic royal residence and their previous home, Frogmore Cottage on the grounds. Yet without proper security arrangements, he has insisted that safe travel remains impossible.
The children are not expected to take part in any public appearances, although Meghan is due to join her husband on visits next week to the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London and the Invictus event.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan said, “The duke continues to explore every available option to enable the visit to proceed safely and to give his children the opportunity to enjoy the UK.”
