Prince Harry Rejected ‘Offer To Stay In Buckingham Palace’ On His Last UK Visit

Prince Harry was reportedly offered free accommodations at Buckingham Palace during his last U.K. visit, but he declined and chose to stay at a hotel instead.

The Invictus Game founder was in London for the celebration of the tenth anniversary of his international competition.

Prince Harry also released a statement at the time, noting that King Charles could not meet up with him because he was busy.

In May, Harry paid a visit to the U.K. to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, the international competition he founded for veterans and wounded soldiers.

During his time in the country, the Invictus founder lodged in a hotel. However, it has now been revealed that he was offered a complimentary stay at Buckingham Palace but turned it down.

The decision seemed “strange,” as the father of two had reportedly requested to be given a royal residence to stay in prior to arriving.

“I don’t know what more the king could have done. He offered Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace, but that it seems even that wasn’t good enough,” a source said, per The Times.

They added: “It makes Harry’s decision to stay in a hotel all the more strange when the Palace would naturally offer all the security you could wish for.

Harry was unable to see his father, King Charles, during his brief visit despite his wish to do so at the time.

Reports suggest that the duke had hoped to use the meeting to discuss security arrangements for himself and his family, which were downgraded after he stepped down from his senior royal role.

Initially, Charles was believed to have been avoiding a conversation, but it has since come to light that the king was staying at nearby Clarence House, and if Harry had stayed at the palace, a meeting might have been possible.

The source shared, “It would also have made more sense from a point of view of seeing his father, as it would be easier for the King to see his son if they were staying nearby.”

Although a meeting between Harry and the King did not occur, reports earlier revealed that the Invictus founder wanted one because he “feels the only person who can do anything about [his security issues] is his father.”

The duke is said to be “determined to protect his own family at all costs.” This seems to be the reason why he has not brought them back to the U.K., as he fears that the lack of security would make them vulnerable to a violent attack, potentially incited by the negative press they have received.

In an interview that aired last month, he spoke about the security issues, saying they are of “genuine concern” to him.

“It’s still dangerous, and all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read,” Harry said on ITV’s documentary Tabloids on Trial, per People. “And whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”

Since the security issues have not been resolved, sources have claimed he will miss his uncle Robert Fellowes’s funeral.

The late royal, who is Harry’s uncle and brother-in-law to his mother, Princess Diana, passed away on July 29 at the age of 82. His cause of death was not disclosed.

Harry is expected to “inform authorities about any travel plans to the U.K. 28 days in advance” but has given no notifications, which hints that he will not be making an in-person appearance.

In the meantime, Harry remains committed to getting upgraded security for his U.K. visits despite a recent high court ruling that reinforced the 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec). The committee, at the time,  recommended that Harry and his family receive a reduced level of taxpayer-funded security provisions.

He recently won the right to appeal the decision, although it is unclear if he has made the filing.

Meghan reportedly longs for Harry to be free from the courtroom drama that has trailed him.

An ex-employee of the couple’s Archewell Foundation told People Magazinethat the former “Suits” actress “supports Harry 100 percent, but she wishes he could let go of these lawsuits, be happy and live in the moment.”

“She wants him to be free of all of this, but she also knows that because of everything he’s been through and his love for [her and their children], he can’t. She wants him to live in a world where he is not burdened by this,” the source added.