Prince Harry rejected King Charles's offer to stay with Buckingham Palace It is said that on his last visit to Britain he chose to stay in a hotel.
Although it was reported in May that the Duke of Sussex had been offered accommodation for his short trip to London, it had not yet been announced that the monarch had given his youngest son the opportunity to stay at the official royal residence in the capital, the most prestigious and famous estate in the royal portfolio.
The invitation to use rooms in the palace was reportedly made when Prince Harry came to London three months ago to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Gamesthe multi-sport competition for sick, ill or wounded military personnel and veterans that he launched in 2014.
A source described as “well placed” told the Times of the Duke of Sussex's visit in May: “I don't know what more the King could have done. He offered Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace, but even that apparently wasn't good enough.
It was far from clear what the Duke's plans were. When it came down to it, there was no space in the King's diary between the treatment and other planned events.”
Among the reasons Prince Harry offered to stay at Buckingham Palace was its proximity to Clarence House, where King Charles and Queen Camilla stay when they are in London. It is said that staying there would have provided a greater opportunity for father and son to meet during the Duke's trip to London.
The King and the Duke did not meet during the May trip, a spokesman for the Sussexes said at the time. He said: “In response to the many questions and ongoing speculation as to whether the Duke will be able to meet his father while he is in the UK this week, unfortunately this will not be possible due to His Majesty's busy schedule. The Duke of course understands his father's busy schedule and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
A source with knowledge of the offer being referenced Prince Harry's concerns about security in the UK, as they said: “It makes Harry's decision to stay in a hotel all the more strange, as the palace of course provides all the security you could wish for. It would also have made more sense from the point of view of seeing his father, as it would have been easier for the King to see his son if they were staying nearby.”
While Buckingham Palace is still undergoing a £369 million renovation that began seven years ago, the property is used to host world leaders and important personalities on official visits.
In June, the Emperor and Empress of Japan stayed in the palace apartments during their state visit to the United Kingdom.
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle kept Frogmore Cottage, the home they had received as a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth IIas their official home in Britain until June 2023, when they officially left it at the request of the King earlier that year.
Before the Duke's trip to London in May, Harry had returned to the UK in February to visit his father after he announced he had cancer.
Express.co.uk has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment. A spokesman for the Duke of Sussex declined to comment.