Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images
It seems like all Prince Harry wanted was a pleasant trip back to the U.K. with his wife and children, where they could reunite with family and celebrate the Invictus Games. Turns out that’s easier said than done, as Harry arrived in London by himself on Monday after being denied security for his family and getting his royal accommodations pulled at the last minute. Despite all of the drama leading up to his visit, Harry is apparently “really happy” to be back home.
Harry is in town to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games, his Olympics-style competition for wounded veterans, which will be held in Birmingham in 2027. Initially, the plan was that Meghan Markle and their children, Archie and Lilibet, would be joining him in their first visit to the U.K. since 2022. Nearly everyone in the royal family seemed stoked about this, with King Charles offering them a royal residence and Kate Middleton reportedly being “interested in seeing the kids.” (That is really effusive in royals-speak.)
That plan fell apart over the weekend after Harry was informed he and his family would not receive taxpayer-funded security outside of royal property. Things got messier on Monday, when a representative for Harry said the offer for him to stay at Buckingham Palace was “withdrawn at the last moment.”
People reported that Harry accepted his father’s invitation to stay at the palace on Saturday and was then told that he had missed the deadline. Palace sources told the tabloid that Harry initially declined the offer only to double back and accept it later on Saturday. Those sources also pointed to a lawsuit that Harry, Elton John, and several other prominent figures filed against the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, which is receiving its judgement on Tuesday. Apparently Charles didn’t want to appear ethically compromised with regards to an ongoing legal case.
In a statement given to People, Harry’s spokesperson said that he was simply too busy to let his dad know if he’d be crashing with him.
“Following RAVEC’s decision not to provide security for his family, the Duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements. Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend,” the statement read.
“It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason. Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday,” the statement continued. “It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment.”
On Monday night, Harry put on a smile and pretended he hadn’t just gone to hell and back trying to stay at his dad’s house. He attended the premiere of Shoot the People, a documentary by his friend and photographer Misan Harriman. A spokesperson for Harry told People that the Duke of Sussex “was in good form last night.”
“He was at last night’s premiere to support his good friend Misan and his brilliant new film Shoot the People,” the rep told the tabloid on Tuesday. “He’s really happy to be back in the U.K. and really looking forward to the week’s engagements.”
After this whole saga, it’s unclear whether or not Harry is going to have a meeting with Charles this week. The last time they saw each other, it was for a “private tea” that lasted less than an hour. Given everything that’s gone down in the past few days, I wouldn’t be surprised if all the king did was drive by his son and offer a wave.
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