The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Harry’s spokesperson said he ‘spent last week making alternative security arrangements’. Photograph: Hollie Adams/ReutersView image in fullscreenThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Harry’s spokesperson said he ‘spent last week making alternative security arrangements’. Photograph: Hollie Adams/ReutersBuckingham Palace says Harry can no longer stay at royal residence on UK visitFresh row erupts over Duke of Sussex’s trip, the buildup to which has been overshadowed by security dispute
Just as it seemed there might be a period of peace, yet another row has broken out between Prince Harry and his family, with one party saying he had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace and the other countering within minutes that he would no longer be welcomed.
The Duke of Sussex is to visit London and Birmingham for a series of charity engagements including promoting the Invictus Games. The buildup to the trip has been overshadowed by a dispute with the government over security, and a spokesperson for the prince saying on Sunday that the Duchess of Sussex and the couple’s children would not join him in London, but could do later when he visits Birmingham.
At about 9am on Monday, the BBC reported that his spokesperson had said the prince had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace during the trip. But within about 15 minutes the broadcaster said the palace had contradicted that.
A spokesperson for Harry said the offer from the king had been “withdrawn at the last moment” – with the judgment in the duke’s case against Associated Newspapers, which is expected on Tuesday, given as the reason. The spokesperson added that the announcement was “disappointing”.
The Press Association said it was understood that the duke had initially turned down the offer on behalf of himself, his wife and children on Saturday, before making a U-turn later in the day and asking to stay himself.
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, PA reported.
The palace said that, while every effort was made to facilitate the prince’s stay, as a courtesy to staff and others involved, it needed a minimum level of notice to ensure he could be hosted appropriately at a royal residence.
The duke and a group of other household names are to find out whether they have won their high court cases against the Daily Mail’s publisher in an expected written ruling by Mr Justice Nicklin on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Harry said: “I am aware of multiple briefings from Buckingham Palace last week suggesting that the duke had not accepted the offer of accommodation at a royal residence.
After a decision not to provide security for his family, the duke “spent last week making alternative security arrangements”, the spokesperson said. “Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend.
“It is, therefore, disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Ltd case cited as the reason.
“Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday. It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment.”
