Prince Harry will not stay at Buckingham Palace for UK visit after he says invite ‘was withdrawn’
The Duke of Sussex will not be staying at Buckingham Palace during his return to the UK, after accommodation arrangements for his trip reportedly descended into disarray, reports BritPanorama.
Prince Harry landed on Monday and is believed to have arrived in London solo, without the Duchess of Sussex and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after they pulled out of a visit to the capital because of security concerns.
A spokesperson for the duke described the situation as “disappointing”, stating an offer from the King had been “withdrawn at the last moment”, with a looming High Court judgment against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) on Tuesday cited as the reason.
As frustration appeared to mount on both sides, it is understood that the duke initially declined the offer for himself and his family, who are no longer accompanying him to London, last Saturday. However, he later made a U-turn, asking to stay for a single night.
Buckingham Palace indicated the appropriate hospitality and staffing provisions were no longer available. The palace also reportedly believes the duke’s longstanding legal case complicated the matter and could potentially compromise the King’s constitutional position.
The Duke of Sussex and a group of other household names are set to find out whether they have won their High Court cases against the Daily Mail’s publisher. During an 11-week trial earlier this year, the High Court in London heard claims brought by the group – which also includes Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish – against ANL of unlawful information-gathering.
These include allegations of voicemail interception, landline tapping and obtaining information by deception – also known as “blagging”, carried out by private investigators, freelance journalists and ANL staff. ANL strongly denies the claims and defended the case, saying it “has established a complete defence to all parts of the claims on the merits” and that the cases have been brought too late.
The trial concluded at the end of March, with Mr Justice Nicklin now expected to give a written ruling on Tuesday July 7. This judgment will be a pivotal moment for the duke and his fellow claimants as they seek answers to serious allegations pertaining to privacy violations.
A spokesman for Prince 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. Following (the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures) Ravec’s decision not to provide security for his family, the duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements.”
The spokesperson continued, “It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited 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.”
The outcome of the legal proceedings and their implications for Prince Harry could resonate beyond this immediate situation, potentially setting a precedent in the ongoing debate over press ethics and the right to privacy.
