Prince Harry will not stay at palace during visit to UK

Britain's Prince Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace during his stay in the UK this week, the palace has said, despite a spokesman for Harry telling ⁠media today that he had accepted an invitation to do so.

The BBC reported that Harry had not formally responded to the offer of accommodation at a royal residence by a deadline, and was told over the weekend that he could no longer stay at Buckingham Palace in central London.

The prince's visit to London and Birmingham for a series of charity engagements has sparked speculation as to ‌whether the estranged royal would ⁠spend time with his father, King Charles, or stay in a royal palace.

But the build-up to the trip has been overshadowed by a dispute with the government over security, and a spokesman for the prince said yesterday that Harry's wife Meghan and children would not join ‌him on the trip to London, but could join later when he visits Birmingham.

At the weekend, it was announced Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet would no longer be joining Harry in London amid concern over their security.

The family were not eligible to receive taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK, other than when they were within royal residences.

Harry has lived in the US since 2020 with his American wife Meghan, after they stepped down ‌as working members of the royal family, citing a desire to ⁠be financially independent ‌and to escape what they characterised as media intrusion into their private lives.

Over the six years since, the depth of the bad blood between Harry and his father Charles and brother William has ⁠become clear - made public in interviews given by Harry and in his autobiography.

The king, who ⁠is still undergoing treatment for cancer, has barely seen his two grandchildren since they were born but Harry said in May last year he wanted the fighting to end.

Harry's spokesman had originally said that he would be staying in a mix of royal and private accommodation.

The spokesman for Harry said it was "disappointing" the offer from the King had been "withdrawn at the last moment", with a looming judgment in Harry's legal case against Associated Newspapers tomorrow given as the reason.

The appropriate hospitality and staffing provision was said to be no longer available, with Buckingham Palace also believing the longstanding legal case had complicated the matter, and could compromise the King's constitutional position.

It is said that while every effort was made to facilitate Harry’s stay, as a courtesy to staff and others involved, the royal household requires a minimum level of notice to ensure he could be hosted appropriately at a royal residence.

The decision by the palace was said to have been taken in consultation with King Charles, with the outcome communicated to Harry through the appropriate channels.

Additional reporting PA