Prince Harry’s Buckingham Palace stay reportedly withdrawn after acceptance

Prince Harry’s planned stay at Buckingham Palace during his upcoming London visit has reportedly been withdrawn at the “last moment,” despite claims that he had formally accepted the offer, according to a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, is set to arrive in the United Kingdom on Monday, July 6, for a series of engagements tied to his Invictus Games, as well as to hear the judgment in his ongoing legal case against British newspaper publishers on Tuesday, July 7. 

He will be travelling alone, with his wife Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, remaining in the United States.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry said the situation around his accommodation had shifted abruptly after he had accepted an invitation to stay at a royal residence during the trip. 

The BBC had initially reported that he would be staying at Buckingham Palace, though Buckingham Palace later denied the claim.

“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 said in a statement.

“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,” the statement continued.

The spokesperson added that the withdrawal of the offer was “disappointing,” particularly as it came shortly after what they said was a formal acceptance. 

They also questioned the reasoning provided, citing ongoing awareness of the legal judgment scheduled for July 7.

“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 It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment,” the statement said.

Royal sources, however, have suggested Harry had been given a deadline to confirm his stay and initially declined before later accepting the invitation on July 4, creating further confusion over the timeline of events.

The situation is further complicated by longstanding security arrangements involving the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC), which has not approved taxpayer-funded protection for Harry and his family during the visit. 

That decision has been central to his choice not to bring Meghan Markle and their children to London.

Harry’s trip also comes ahead of a key court ruling in his case against the publishers of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, brought alongside other public figures, including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley.

Despite the tensions surrounding his visit, the Duke is expected to attend Invictus Games-related engagements in London, with the broader trip also marking the lead-up to the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.

Harry and Meghan had previously expressed hope of bringing their children to the UK for the first time since 2022, but their absence from the London portion of the visit now raises fresh questions over whether any wider family reunion will take place during his trip.