Prince Harry was forced to make last minute accommodation arrangements after Buckingham Palace declined his request to stay at a royal residence during his latest visit to the United Kingdom, triggering another public dispute between the Duke of Sussex and the Royal Household.
The confusion unfolded just hours before Harry was due to arrive in Britain. Earlier in the day, a spokesman for the duke announced that he had accepted an offer to stay at a royal residence during his visit. However, palace sources quickly disputed the announcement, saying the request had been made too late and could no longer be accommodated.
According to reports from several British media outlets, including The Sun, The Telegraph, and the Daily Mail, King Charles III had extended an offer for Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace, with a deadline of Friday to confirm whether he intended to accept it. The offer was reportedly made to address Harry’s longstanding concerns over his security while in the UK.
Harry has repeatedly argued that Britain is unsafe for his family following the removal of his publicly funded police protection after he and Meghan Markle stepped down as working members of the Royal Family in 2020. He has previously claimed he has been the subject of multiple security threats and has said those concerns have prevented him from bringing Meghan, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet to Britain.
Reports indicate that after several weeks of uncertainty surrounding his travel plans, Harry initially informed palace officials on Saturday morning that he would not stay at Buckingham Palace because he believed London was not sufficiently secure for his family. Later the same day, after finalising private security arrangements, he reportedly reversed that decision and formally accepted the offer.
By then, palace officials said it was too late.
Sources familiar with the matter said Buckingham Palace informed the duke that the late request created practical difficulties because staffing and security arrangements for royal residences require advance planning and could not be reorganised at short notice.
Royal sources also suggested that the timing of Harry’s request coincided with an important legal development. A court judgment in his ongoing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited was expected to be delivered on Tuesday, and some reports claimed this was among the factors considered in declining the request.
Harry’s representatives strongly rejected suggestions that he had failed to respond promptly.
In a statement, the duke’s spokesman said he had spent the previous week arranging private security after learning that official protection would not be available for his family. Only after those arrangements were completed was he able to formally accept the accommodation offer.
The spokesman described it as disappointing that the offer had subsequently been withdrawn and said Buckingham Palace had cited the impending court judgment involving Associated Newspapers Limited as the reason.
The latest disagreement has further exposed the strained relationship between Prince Harry and the Royal Family. Sources close to the duke claimed he believes individuals within the palace are deliberately creating obstacles that prevent him and his family from maintaining a close relationship with King Charles.
Buckingham Palace has not publicly commented on the claims.
The dispute comes against the backdrop of Harry’s long running legal battle over his security arrangements in Britain. In 2022, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, decided that the duke would no longer receive the same level of automatic police protection afforded to working members of the Royal Family. Instead, each visit would be assessed individually based on advance notice and security considerations.
Harry challenged that decision through the courts but lost both his High Court case and a subsequent appeal. Under the current arrangements, he is expected to notify authorities well in advance of any planned visit so that security requirements can be assessed.
The latest disagreement over accommodation is likely to deepen questions about the already fragile relationship between the Duke of Sussex and the Royal Family, as disagreements over security, trust and communication continue to overshadow efforts at reconciliation.
