The Duke of Sussex has landed in Britain without his wife and children, just hours after being told he is no longer able to stay in Buckingham Palace as the King had offered
Prince Harry has arrived in the UK without his wife Meghan Markle and their children, Archie and Lilibet, just hours after his accommodation offer at Buckingham Palace was revoked.
Harry’s trip to his home country comes as he is set to travel to Birmingham later in the week to attend an event marking the official one year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games. The trip has been fraught with obstacles, long before Harry touched down in Britain. It’s not known which airport the duke arrived at, and it’s not known where he’s staying during his trip.
It is believed that Harry’s initial plans for the trip were to bring his wife and two children with him, under the assumption that he would be granted temporary security measures while in his home country. When the visit was first announced, a source close to Harry spoke of his desire to have his kids spend time with their grandfather, the King.
The King has only met Archie a handful of times when Harry and Meghan lived in the UK and only met Lilibet once in the summer of 2022. However, on Saturday, it was announced that Harry would be travelling to London alone, believing it is not safe for his family to come to the capital city without adequate security measures in place.
Harry’s request for taxpayer-funded security was denied by the Home Office, reportedly leaving the duke enraged and upset. The duke is also waiting for a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), part of the process by which the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) rules on his security requirements, but found out last week that this has yet to take place.
While Meghan, Archie and Lilibet will not be joining Harry in London, it is unclear if the family may join the prince later in the week for the Invictus event. As a result of the Duchess of Sussex and the children not coming to London, it is now unlikely that the King will get to spend time with his grandchildren.
However, it has been suggested that the Sussexes could meet the King at one of his country residences, either Highgrove in Gloucestershire or Sandringham in Norfolk on Saturday, although a request has not been made.
In addition to the security row, it was announced earlier today that Harry will no longer be staying at Buckingham Palace when in London. The Mirror previously revealed that the King had extended an offer to Harry to stay in the iconic residence.
The prince’s spokesperson this morning said Harry had accepted an offer to stay at the Palace for part of his visit. However, the Palace has since said this would not be the case as the accommodation is no longer available.
Buckingham Palace has 240 bedrooms, with 52 of these reserved for royals and their guests. To keep things running smoothly and safely, a number of staff and security are required to be present when a member of the Royal Family is staying in the Palace.
According to a royal source, the London residence required a minimum level of notice so a guest may be hosted appropriately. Given Harry reportedly left it to the last minute to accept the offer, it was withdrawn. It is understood Harry now plans to stay in private accommodation, at an undisclosed location.
While in the UK, Harry will undertake a series of engagements, as he is believed to meet with the Invictus Games Foundation at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Also in Birmingham, Harry – who is a long-time patron of the WellChild charity – is set to visit Birmingham Children’s Hospital to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the organisation’s first WellChild Nurse.
In his role as Global Ambassador for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports bereaved military children and young people, Harry was also set to attend Scotty’s Summer Festival at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire.
While the family will be spending much of their time in the Midlands for various events, it is believed Harry, Meghan and their children will meet with King Charles while in the UK. Harry last saw his father in September 2025, but the King has not seen his grandchildren or his daughter-in-law since 2022.
