Prince Harry says he will not stay at Buckingham Palace during his visit to the UK after his invitation was withdrawn “at the last moment,” according to a statement from his spokesperson.
The Duke of Sussex had accepted an offer to stay at the royal residence after making alternative security arrangements over the weekend. But a spokesperson for the duke said his offer was revoked ahead of the looming judgment in his case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, which is due on Tuesday.
“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,” the spokesperson told The Independent.
“Following RAVEC’s decision not to provide security for his family, the Duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements. 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“It is therefore disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Limited case cited as the reason. Buckingham Palace has, however, been aware of that judgment since last Thursday.”
The Legal Context
The Duke of Sussex, along with several other high-profile figures, launched legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited over claims that the publisher carried out or commissioned unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blagging” private records, and accessing private phone conversations.
ANL firmly denies the “preposterous” allegations, which are being tried over nine weeks in London.
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.
The Changing Itinerary
Harry is visiting the UK to celebrate the one-year countdown to his Invictus Games, which is being hosted in Birmingham next July. His itinerary includes a visit to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, the primary venue for the 2027 Games, and engagements with charities Scotty’s Little Soldiers and WellChild.
However, the briefings for Prince Harry’s trip to the UK have changed significantly over the past two weeks due to the ongoing row over security for his family.
On June 27, Harry and Meghan accepted an offer to stay in a royal residence during their visit, signifying an improving relationship with their father. On June 28, it was revealed that the Duke of Sussex was rethinking his decision to bring Meghan and his children to the UK after his request for police protection was denied. On July 4, Meghan and the children were revealed not to be accompanying the Duke of Sussex in London.
The Security Row
Prince Harry has been in an ongoing legal battle with the Home Office over his security arrangements for him and his family while they are in the UK. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee declared in February 2020 that Harry would not receive the same level of taxpayer-funded personal protection following his decision to step back from royal duties.
In May 2025, Harry lost his legal challenge over the levels of security he and his family are entitled to. Harry was said to be “desperate” for his children to see their grandfather in the UK in what would have been their first trip in four years.
A source close to Harry and Meghan accused the Home Office and the committee responsible for assessing their security of “wilfully creating conditions that are making it nearly impossible” for them to safely travel in the UK. His seven-year-old son, Archie, and five-year-old daughter, Lilibet, have not seen King Charles since Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
The Bottom Line
Prince Harry says his invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace during his UK visit was withdrawn “at the last moment” ahead of a court ruling in his case against the Daily Mail’s publisher. The Duke of Sussex had accepted the offer after making alternative security arrangements. Buckingham Palace cited Tuesday’s judgment as the reason, though Harry’s spokesperson noted the palace had been aware of it since last Thursday. The decision is the latest twist in Harry’s ongoing security row with the UK government.
