King Charles 'offered Harry royal residence' for his UK visit but he 'turned it down' following snub
12 May 2024, 07:32
King Charles is said to have offered Prince Harry a royal residence during his whirlwind trip to the UK but he turned it down.
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Harry stopped off in the UK to attend an Invictus Games service at St Paul's cathedral.
He is understood to have stayed in a hotel during his stay, despite having been offered a royal home by the King.
It comes after there was speculation that Harry would reunite with the King during his stay - but it was later confirmed that Charles was "too busy".
The pair were just three miles apart on May 8, as Charles held the Buckingham Palace Garden Party on the same evening.
A spokesperson for Harry said: "It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
"The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon."
Harry attends Invictus Games anniversary service
Sources close to the King said a meeting between him and Harry would have been easier had the prince taken up the offer of staying in a royal residence.
"It’s all very sad," a source told the Sunday Times.
“While it is true that the King is understandably wary about meeting with Harry, given the publicity circus that seems to surround all such visits, he did of course agree to see his son at the most vulnerable moment of his illness [in February], and at very short notice.
“While he was hardly going to roll out the red carpet the moment this Invictus trip was announced, with doctors advising him to focus on his treatment and recovery, the idea that he refused to find space in his diary … well, let’s say recollections may vary once again.”
They said, as far as they were aware, Harry did not request to see his father or invite him to attend the service.
However, pals close to Harry insisted that he tried his best ahead of the trip to organise a meeting.
“I can’t imagine that request [from Harry to Charles] fell through the gaps.
"Even if they didn’t get a request, which I don’t believe, could His Majesty not have made a request to see his son? It was widely known he was coming."
Among those who were in attendance at the service were Diana's brother Earl Spencer and her sister Lady Jane Fellowes.
