Key facts
- Buckingham Palace denied Prince Harry accepted an offer to stay at a royal residence.
- The palace cited insufficient notice and a legal case as reasons for the withdrawal.
- Prince Harry's spokesperson expressed disappointment, stating the offer was withdrawn last minute.
- The Duke of Sussex is visiting the UK for charity engagements, including promoting the Invictus Games.
- A dispute over security for his family has overshadowed the trip.
A dispute has emerged regarding Prince Harry's accommodation during his upcoming visit to the UK for charity engagements. Initially, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex announced he had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace. However, Buckingham Palace quickly contradicted this, stating that appropriate hospitality and staffing were no longer available due to insufficient notice.
The palace also indicated that Prince Harry's ongoing legal case against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, complicated the matter and could potentially compromise the king's constitutional position. A spokesperson for Prince Harry expressed disappointment, claiming the offer was withdrawn at the last moment, with the judgment in the legal case cited as the reason. The spokesperson added that Buckingham Palace had been aware of the judgment since the previous Thursday, questioning the timing of the withdrawal.
It is understood that Prince Harry had initially declined the offer for himself, his wife, and children before changing his mind and asking to stay alone. The dispute over accommodation comes amid ongoing discussions about security arrangements for the prince and his family during his UK visit.