Prince Harry’s planned visit to the United Kingdom has been overshadowed by fresh controversy after a dispute emerged over accommodation at Buckingham Palace.
The Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson said an offer for Harry to stay at a royal residence was withdrawn after he accepted it over the weekend. According to the spokesperson, the delay in confirming the arrangement was due to the time required to organise private security following the UK’s decision not to provide taxpayer-funded protection for Harry’s family.
Because of the security concerns, Harry is expected to travel to London alone, while his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will remain in the United States.
However, Buckingham Palace sources have disputed that account, maintaining that Harry was given until the end of last week to confirm whether he would stay at the royal residence. They claimed he initially declined the invitation before later attempting to accept it after the deadline had passed, making it too late for the arrangements to go ahead.
The disagreement comes as Harry awaits a High Court ruling in his legal case against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. Palace sources reportedly said it would have been inappropriate for King Charles to appear connected to the Duke’s accommodation while the court proceedings were still ongoing.
Responding to the reports, Harry’s spokesperson said the palace had been aware of the court timetable before the Duke formally accepted the accommodation offer, insisting the decision to withdraw it came only after his security arrangements had been finalised.
