- Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry's team dispute why he will not stay at the palace.
- Conflicting versions emerge just before Harry's charity engagements in the UK.
- The row could complicate a possible meeting between King Charles and Prince Harry.
A fresh disagreement has emerged between Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry just before the Duke of Sussex's latest visit to the UK, with both sides offering conflicting accounts over why he will not be staying at a royal residence during his time in London.
According to a report by the BBC, Buckingham Palace said Prince Harry had been offered accommodation at a royal residence but failed to confirm in time whether he would accept it. Palace officials said he was informed on the evening of Sunday (5) that arrangements could no longer be made. However, Prince Harry's spokesperson disputed that version, claiming the accommodation offer had been accepted before it was later withdrawn.
Two sides, two very different stories
The disagreement centres on what happened over a single night's accommodation.
Buckingham Palace reportedly said the Duke's team initially did not respond to the invitation and later formally declined it. According to the Palace, the Sussex team changed its position later on the same day and accepted the offer, but by then it was too late to organise accommodation and staffing.
Prince Harry's spokesperson, however, reportedly said the offer had already been formally accepted before it was withdrawn, describing the decision as "disappointing". The spokesperson also questioned why accommodation could not be arranged for one guest for one night and rejected suggestions that Harry's legal case influenced the decision.
Palace sources reportedly acknowledged there were concerns about the timing of a court ruling in Prince Harry's legal dispute with Associated Newspapers, which is expected during his visit. Officials were said to be mindful of maintaining the King's political neutrality if the Duke were to respond publicly while staying at Buckingham Palace.
Visit goes ahead despite fresh tensions
Despite the dispute, Prince Harry is expected to continue with his planned engagements in the UK, including charity events and activities linked to the Invictus Games, which Birmingham will host next year.
His wife, Meghan, and their children, Archie and Lilibet, are not expected to join him in London after it was confirmed the family would not receive taxpayer-funded police protection during the visit. Reports suggest they could still travel to Birmingham later in the week, although no official confirmation has been given.
The disagreement has also cast uncertainty over the possibility of a meeting between King Charles III and Prince Harry, which had been anticipated during the trip.
Prince Harry's long-running dispute over security arrangements dates back to 2020, when he stepped down as a working royal and moved to the US with his family. He has repeatedly argued that existing security measures make it difficult to bring his wife and children to Britain, while the UK government has maintained that his protection is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
