Prince Harry will not be staying at Buckingham Palace during his visit to Britain this week after an offer of royal accommodation expired before it was accepted, according to the BBC.
The report said Harry did not formally respond to an invitation to stay at a royal residence by the required deadline. Palace officials subsequently informed him over the weekend that Buckingham Palace would no longer be available for his stay in central London.
Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex told media outlets that Harry had accepted the invitation to stay at the palace, creating confusion over his accommodation plans.
Harry is traveling to London and Birmingham for a series of charity engagements, with his visit drawing attention over whether he would meet his father, King Charles III, or spend time at a royal residence. However, much of the focus ahead of the trip has centered on his ongoing dispute with the British government over security arrangements.
A spokesperson for Harry said on Sunday that his wife, Meghan, and their two children will not accompany him to London, although they could join him later during his visit to Birmingham.
Harry and Meghan have lived in the United States since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. The couple said they sought financial independence and a greater degree of privacy from intense media scrutiny.
Relations between Harry and the royal family have remained strained in the years since, with the divisions becoming public through television interviews and Harry's memoir. King Charles III, who continues to receive treatment for cancer, has had limited contact with Harry's two children. Despite the family rift, Harry said last year that he hoped for reconciliation.
Harry's spokesperson had previously indicated that the prince would divide his stay between royal residences and private accommodation.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately comment on the BBC report. Photo by Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia, Wikimedia commons.
