Prince Harry Faces Accommodation Confusion During U.K. Visit

Prince Harry’s travel arrangements in London encountered issues when Buckingham Palace denied he would reside there, opposing claims by his spokesperson. This situation has added to the complications of his visit to the U.K.

According to a source close to Harry, the prince is set to arrive in the U.K. for a five-day solo trip, after a reported lapse in their police protection arrangements. The drama unfolded as his spokesperson claimed he had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace, as reported by the BBC.

However, Buckingham Palace stated that Harry would not stay at the royal residence, citing a missed deadline to accept the offer. The palace requires advance notice to accommodate guests like the prince, which according to sources for CBS News, was not provided. The sources also mentioned that the palace made multiple attempts to get clarity on the accommodation offer but did not receive a formal response from Harry’s side.

The sources indicated that the offer was formally declined on a Saturday before being accepted too late, after the deadline had passed. In contrast, a spokesperson for the Duke said the palace withdrew their hosting offer despite his acceptance. “It is unclear why the accommodation offer, once accepted, was withdrawn,” they stated.

CBS News attempted to contact Harry’s representatives for a comment but received no prompt response.

This incident adds to the prince’s challenges as he visits to mark the countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham, which he initiated in 2014 for wounded veterans. The trip was to be his first family visit back to the U.K. with Meghan, son Archie, and daughter Lilibet in four years. However, a source close to Harry mentioned that his family would not join due to the lack of royal protection.

The visit coincides with a judgment expected on Tuesday regarding a lawsuit Harry and other celebrities have filed against Associated Newspapers over alleged illegal information gathering.

Since splitting from the royal family in 2020 and relocating to North America, Harry has only returned to the U.K. for brief charity-related and legal commitments.