When Prince Harry was briefly in the U.K. earlier this month, he didn’t reconnect with his father, King Charles III.
A new report from The Telegraph claims part of the issue related to the prince’s security concerns.
According to the outlet, Prince Harry turned down an invitation from King Charles III to stay at a royal residence while in the country to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
King Charles reportedly agreed to a request to stay at an undisclosed royal residence rather than a hotel. However, the Duke of Sussex reportedly turned down the offer because it did not come with any security arrangement, which, according to The Telegraph, would have meant staying in a location with public entrance and exit points and no police protection.
A report from The Telegraph claims Prince Harry turned down an invitation from King Charles to stay at a royal residence during his recent visit to the U.K. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Instead, Prince Harry stayed at a hotel, as he had during previous visits.
Representatives for Prince Harry and King Charles did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
Helena Chard, a British broadcaster and photographer, found the allegation of Prince Harry’s refusal to be “extraordinary behavior.”
“He could have stayed at St. James’ Palace, a stone’s throw away from Clarence House, where the King is usually based,” she told Fox News Digital. “Harry turned down staying in a palace, where he would have received armed security protection from the SO14 Royalty Protection Group. He chose to stay at a hotel in Mayfair without this protection.
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard thinks Prince Harry’s reported refusal is “extraordinary behavior.” (Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Not only would he have received armed security protection, there is a far higher chance that he would have seen his father.
“It worries me that Prince Harry has deeper-rooted problems, most likely related to his mother, as I feel his behavior is beyond strange,” Chard added. “I am, however, aware that his behavior keeps the victim narrative alive, a narrative which maybe he feels serves a purpose at this time.”
On May 8, Prince Harry marked the milestone anniversary of the Invictus Games during a service of thanksgiving held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, while Charles and other senior royals attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace 2 miles away.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time that the prince wouldn’t be meeting with his father during the trip.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry previously confirmed he would not meet with his father during his trip to celebrate the Invictus Games “due to His Majesty’s full programme.” (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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“In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the U.K. this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme,” the spokesperson said. “The Duke, of course, is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”
Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” doubts the report that Harry refused the invitation from his father.
“There is no evidence that the king offered to put Harry up at Windsor, much less that Harry ‘turned down’ an invitation to meet his father,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Yes, Harry is still battling for royal protection when he is traveling in the U.K., but that hardly means he doesn’t want to check in on his cancer-stricken father. Harry would have jumped at the chance, royal protection or no, to meet with the king, even if only for another ridiculously short 45-minute session. That seems to be all that the king has ever been willing to set aside for Harry under the best of circumstances.”
“The King” author Christopher Andersen disputed the claim Prince Harry turned down the invite, saying, “Harry would have jumped at the chance, royal protection or no, to meet with the king.” (Getty Images)
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In February, Prince Harry did see his father while on a brief trip to the U.K. for a reported 45 minutes.
The Duke of Sussex’s visits with family in his home country are marked by ongoing security concerns after giving up his status as a working member of the royal family in 2020.
The 39-year-old has been in and out of court over the past four years fighting to regain personal protective security from the government while in the U.K., citing the safety of his family and a certain amount of hostility toward Meghan Markle as reasons for needing private, taxpayer-funded security.
In April, Prince Harry lost his initial bid to appeal a High Court ruling that declared the Royal and VIP Executive Committee’s decision to provide “bespoke” security on an as-needed basis was not unlawful, irrational or unjustified.
In April, Prince Harry lost an initial bid to appeal a High Court ruling about his security requests. (Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency)
Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, told Fox News Digital, “If it is true that Prince Harry turned down a meeting with his father but went to great lengths to publicly blame his father’s schedule for the missed opportunity, then Prince Harry appears dishonest and mean-spirited.
“He knows that type of statement would reflect poorly on his cancer-stricken father. It generated so many headlines and hourslong commentary about the moral compass of his family. It is an example of either Harry and Meghan not thinking about the consequences or the Sussexes continuing to try to hurt the royal family’s brand.”
In Andersen’s opinion, “It is Harry who is being rebuffed at every turn, and no amount of palace spin will convince people otherwise.
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“It helps to put this all in context. The queen and Prince Philip spent, at the most, 30 minutes a day with their children when the kids were small — 15 minutes before breakfast and 15 minutes before dinner. If that’s your relationship with your children when they’re small, that makes it a lot easier to turn your back on them as adults.”
