An insider has claimed that King Charles had turned down a request from Prince Harry. The reported refusal emerged amid new arrangements for the Prince to make the UK visit alone. The updated plans are understood to reflect the impact of continuing disputes regarding security provisions.
King Charles won’t change his plans for Prince Harry amid UK trip, report suggests
King Charles reportedly has no plans to adjust his schedule to meet Prince Harry, after the Duke of Sussex announced he will not bring his wife or children to London, citing safety concerns.
Harry arrived in the UK on Monday, traveling alone after deciding it was not safe enough to bring Meghan Markle and their two children to London. With this, the reigning monarch’s hopes to see grandchildren Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, have reportedly taken a hit.
Markle last set foot in Britain for the Queen’s funeral in September 2022. The Sussex children, meanwhile, have not returned since June 2022, when they joined their parents for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
King Charles has seen Archie only a few times when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were based in the UK. He has met Lilibet just once, during the summer of 2022. With the family skipping the London part of the trip, doubts have grown over whether a reunion will take place during this visit.
Late last month, the couple unveiled plans for their UK trip, featuring joint engagements across the capital and Birmingham. However, a Home Office notice confirmed that Prince Harry’s family would not receive state-funded protection during the visit, forcing an embarrassing last-minute change. They lost their taxpayer-funded police protection after stepping down from royal duties and moving to California in 2020.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE on June 29, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said, “The issue is whether appropriate and proportionate protective security is being provided throughout the entirety of the visit.” Although the King offered for them to stay at a royal estate, protection would only cover time spent on the grounds.
Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi for Mandatory.
