Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Harry will not be staying at the palace during his visit to London this week, despite his team earlier announcing that he had accepted an invitation to do so. Royal sources indicated that the Duke of Sussex did not respond in time to the offer of accommodation at a royal residence, and he was informed on Saturday evening that he would not be able to stay at Buckingham Palace. This marks a chaotic start to a week in which the duke plans to support his charities in the UK.
Conflicting Accounts from Both Sides
A spokesperson for Prince Harry stated that despite their earlier statement, they understood the offer to stay had been “withdrawn,” a decision they described as “disappointing.” According to Buckingham Palace’s version of events, an offer of accommodation was made to Prince Harry, but his team failed to confirm acceptance and formally declined the invitation on Saturday. Later that same day, the duke’s team changed their position and accepted the offer, but by then it was too late to make arrangements and provide staffing. The palace said Prince Harry was told on Saturday evening that he could not stay and was aware of the decision.
Concerns Over Court Case and Neutrality
There were also concerns from the palace about the duke staying while a court result regarding his claims against Associated Newspapers was being published on Tuesday. Worries existed about the optics for King Charles, who maintains a position of neutrality, if Prince Harry delivered a controversial response to the high-profile court case while staying at the symbolic headquarters of the monarchy. In response, a spokesman for the Duke of Sussex described the situation differently, claiming Buckingham Palace had withdrawn an offer that had been formally accepted.
One Night Stay Sparks Dispute
It appears the dispute centers on a stay of just one night, raising the question of why the palace could not accommodate one person for one night. The Sussex version of events stated that the timing of the court case result was already known last week and rejected it as a factor. “It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment,” said the spokesman for the Duke of Sussex. This acrimonious war of words highlights the deep distrust and poor communication between the Sussex team and Buckingham Palace.
Impact on Potential Meeting with King Charles
Both sides are putting out contradictory versions of the invitation to stay at the palace, with no sign of either side accepting the other’s account. This could make a meeting between King Charles and Prince Harry, which had been expected this week, even more complicated. Prince Harry is still set to carry out his engagements this week, with an expectation that he will be in the UK on Monday, ahead of his first event in London on Tuesday. Prince Harry is said to have initially rejected and then accepted accommodation at Buckingham Palace.
