King Charles offered to ‘put Harry up in royal residence’ for UK trip but duke ‘turned it down’ after snub, pals claim
KING CHARLES offered to ‘put up Prince Harry in a royal residence’ on his UK trip – but the duke turned it down, pals claim.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, reportedly snubbed his father’s offer when he returned to his homeland to mark the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games.
He travelled from his Montecito mansion in a whirlwind three-day visit for the glitzy event at St Paul’s Cathedral on May 8.
Harry was just three miles away from his father, who was hosting the famous Buckingham Palace Garden Party on the same evening.
However the pair did not reunite, as the duke’s spokesperson confirmed: “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.”
Now, sources have claimed the King had agreed to let his distant son stay in a royal residence for the trip – but the offer was turned down.
Harry is understood to have stayed in a hotel during his visit.
As reported by the Sunday Times, insiders close to His Majesty alleged it would have been more practical to arrange a meeting between the father and son should Harry have opted for a royal residence.
However, friends close to the duke insist he did his best to arrange seeing Charles before the long-awaited trip.
Yet those in the Monarch’s camp continue to claim the duke never asked to see his father, or invited him to the Invictus Games event.
A friend of Charles told the outlet: “It’s all very sad.”
They highlighted how the King would be “understandably wary” about seeing Harry, but highlighted how he met with his son “at the most vulnerable moment of his illness” when his cancer diagnosis was announced.
The pal added how “recollections may vary once again” regarding rumours Charles “refused” to make space in his busy schedule.
This echos the famous statement put out by the late Queen herself after Harry and Meghan’s sensationalist Oprah interview.
Her Majesty said at the time: “Some recollections may vary.”
However, someone close to the duke disputed claims put forward by the royal source.
“I can’t imagine that request [from Harry to Charles] fell through the gaps,” they said,
“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?”
Harry’s pals claimed he felt hurt by the snub as people were “fully expecting them to meet”.
‘MEDIA CIRCUS’
It comes as royal expert Robert Jobson told The Sun: “People think if Harry rolls into town there’s going to be some sort of reconciliation.
“But you’re going to realize there’s been a lot of water under the bridge, a lot of portrayal of trust.
“That takes time to rebuild, to rebuild, and I don’t think we’re anywhere near the stage of rebuilding trust.
He added: “Harry effectively took it by himself to come see his dad when he said that he that he had been diagnosed with cancer that would be seen by as many as a good thing.
“But at the time I think the King didn’t want all the media circus that would accompany Harry’s arrival.”
Meanwhile, royal author Ingrid Seward claimed Charles “snubbed” Harry as he feared he’d be used as a PR tool to boost his son’s image.
Harry & the King can't play happy families with such huge public attention, says The Sun's Matt Wilkinson
By Matt Wilkinson, Royal Editor
The Duke of Sussex arrived from LA alone without Meghan or their children for a busy diary of events marking 10 years of his Invictus Games.
Before setting off from California it is understood Harry was said to have been “keen’ to see the King for only the second time since his cancer diagnosis.
It is rather telling that confirmation there will be no meeting has come from the Office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rather than Buckingham Palace.
His team say “it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program”.
They add: “The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
Now, the word that jumps out is “priorities”.
The King, we understand, is busy as he returns to public duty.
For instance, on Tuesday while Harry was in London the King was carrying out his constitutional duty and meeting the Prime Minister of Fiji at the palace.
He is also set to host a palace garden party and weekly audience with the Prime Minister on Wednesday.
And Harry’s diary is packed full for three days with Invictus. However, they will be at times just two miles apart and risk even driving past each other on London’s roads.
Some observers may see this as “sad” that father and son cannot find time.
Others may say that it’s understandable as both have work commitments and “priorities”.
But maybe there has just been too much water under the bridge for father and son to play happy families amid such huge public attention.
Despite the family drama, Prince Harry was seen beaming next to Meghan on their three-day Nigeria trip.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down in Africa for their visit on Friday and have so far danced with schoolchildren and met with locals and officials.
This is Harry and Meghan’s first trip to Nigeria as a couple, although they did a royal tour of southern Africa in 2019 when they were working royals.
They stepped down from royal duties and relocated across the pond in 2020 – with their departure dubbed ‘Megxit’.
During this visit to Nigeria, Meghan and Harry are expected to visit three cities in their efforts to get the country to host the Invictus Games in 2029.
Inside Sussexes' trip to Nigeria
The Duke and Duchess are spending three days in Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games.
The Sussexes will be taken to a hotel when they first touch down today, then visit the Light Academy, a school in nearby Wuse, before meeting defence leaders and visiting injured soldiers.
Tomorrow Harry’s set to field a team during a seated volleyball match played by Nigeria’s Invictus team, before he and Meghan meet with more soldiers and their families.
That afternoon Meghan will host a Women in Leadership event with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian-American economist who is director general of the World Trade Organisation.
Then, on Sunday, the Sussexes will head along to a basketball clinic that promotes youth getting into the sport, enjoy a cultural reception and visit a polo fundraiser.
