A new dispute has erupted between Prince Harry and the royal family after Buckingham Palace withdrew an accommodation offer for his upcoming United Kingdom trip, as reported by The Guardian.
The Duke of Sussex is scheduled to visit London and Birmingham for several charity engagements, including events promoting the Invictus Games.
Security disputes with the government have complicated the buildup to this trip, leading to the decision that the Duchess of Sussex and their children will remain behind initially.
According to media reports on Monday, the BBC initially stated that the prince had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace.
However, the broadcaster noted that the palace contradicted the statement within 15 minutes, citing availability issues and complications surrounding an upcoming legal judgment.
The decision reportedly stems from a pending High Court ruling against Associated Newspapers Ltd, which Buckingham Palace believed could complicate the constitutional position of the King.
PA Media reported that Prince Harry had initially declined the accommodation offer before reversing his decision over the weekend, by which time appropriate staffing and hospitality provisions were no longer available.
The palace stated that while efforts are made to facilitate royal stays, a minimum level of notice is required as a courtesy to staff to ensure appropriate hosting at royal residences.
The Duke of Sussex and other prominent individuals are currently awaiting a written ruling by Mr. Justice Nicklin regarding their legal case against the Daily Mail's publisher.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry criticized the last-minute change, noting that the palace had been aware of the legal timelines well in advance.
"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," said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson explained that security concerns for the family required alternative planning before the accommodation could be officially locked in.
"Once those arrangements were in place, he was able to formally accept the offer of accommodation for himself over the weekend," said the spokesperson.
The representative expressed frustration over the sudden reversal by the palace, pointing out the contradiction in the timing of the decision.
"It is, therefore, disappointing that the offer has now been withdrawn, with Tuesday’s judgment in the Associated Newspapers Ltd case cited as the reason," said the spokesperson.
The representative maintained that the scheduling of the court ruling should not have caused a sudden withdrawal of the invitation.
"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," said the spokesperson.
