Prince Harry’s Major Fear That Blocked King Charles Meeting

Prince Harry’s Major Fear That Blocked King Charles Meeting

Prince Harry reportedly turned down King Charles III’s offer to stay at a royal residence during a recent visit to the United Kingdom, a move that has been blamed for the pair’s failure to meet.

The Duke of Sussex is believed to have stayed in a hotel because, according to The Daily Telegraph, the offer did not come with police protection.

The newspaper suggests that had he accepted, it might have given father and son an opportunity to see each other.

Newsweek reached out to Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes for comment.

That, in turn, suggests some responsibility may fall on the Sussex side of the fence in a context where the failure to meet was widely reported in Britain as a snub by Charles toward his youngest son.
Harry arrived in the U.K. on May 7, and his spokesperson announced that he had not been able to meet his father: “In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not The Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full program.

“The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.”

If the Telegraph’s report is accurate, it will bring back to the fore just how big an obstacle the security issue is for Harry in terms of his relationship with the rest of the royals.

The duke’s legal representative said in January 2022 that without police protection, it was not safe in Britain for Harry, his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK,” they said.

“In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home.”

Harry launched two lawsuits against the U.K. government in an effort to overturn the decision but lost both of them, leaving him with a potential bill for costs expected to land somewhere north of $1 million.

The case revolved around whether the Ravec, a committee of the U.K. Home Office, sufficiently consulted Harry and completed adequate risk assessments before deciding to remove his 24/7 police protection team.

His legal team indicated they will challenge the High Court ruling at the Court of Appeal, though the original judge recently doubled down, stating that the appeal was “largely a recapitulation of the case advanced by the claimant at trial.”

Rejected Harry’s initial attempt to appeal in April, Judge Peter Lane said: “The reality of the matter is that the claimant considers he should receive a different approach to his protection whilst in the UK than Ravec decided he should, based in part on his comparison of his own position with that of others. Ravec, as an expert body, concluded otherwise. It was entitled to do so.”

The prince can still pursue the issue at the Court of Appeal.

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek’s The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about Charles, Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.

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King Charles III and Prince Harry are seen in a composite image. Harry reportedly declined an offer to stay at a royal residence during a trip to Britain over security concerns.
King Charles III and Prince Harry are seen in a composite image. Harry reportedly declined an offer to stay at a royal residence during a trip to Britain over security concerns. © Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
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Council request for second free King Charles portrait rejected
Story by Michael Kenwood
• 10h • 1 min read

The British government has rejected a request by Ards and North Down Borough Council for a second free portrait of King Charles.

All councils in the UK were offered a free portrait of the British monarch after he ascended the throne following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth in September 2022.

Ards and North Down Borough Council received its portrait last month and it is to be displayed at Bangor Castle, wheree the council holds its monthly meeting.

However, its five monthly committee meetings are held at the council’s offices at Church Street in Newtownards, and several councillors had requested the local authority seek a second portrait to hang in the building.

The council wrote to the UK Cabinet Office, and a council report states the ministerial department “responded to say that they were only able to provide one free portrait per authority and were not permitted to sell the portraits”.
It added: “A portrait will be available in due course from commercial outlets but as yet no details are available.”