Royal watchers were ecstatic to discover the Sussexes, including Prince Harry and Meghan with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, would be visiting the UK for the first time since Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
However, a recent decision has forced Prince Harry to partake in public events solo, his spokesperson confirmed.
However, it turned out that the Sussex children and their mother, Meghan, did in fact travel to the UK to visit the King and Queen. But, it was held in total privacy with zero press involvement or photographs.
According to a spokesperson who spoke to Vanity Fair, the meeting was “completely cloak-and-dagger, orchestrated by the king.”
“The king wanted to see Harry and the children,” the source continued to the publication. “A time was agreed for the Sussexes to come to Highgrove on Friday afternoon, and it was uncharacteristically last-minute for the king. Everyone was sworn to secrecy so that the meeting could remain private.”
The report also states that King Charles wanted his wife, Queen Camilla, there for “moral support.” The source added that Camilla had been a “pillar of strength for him throughout all the drama with Harry, and she dropped everything.”
The son of King Charles was due in London and Birmingham for a series of engagements and events promoting the 2027 Invictus Games.
The dramatic change to the itinerary, i.e. the children not included, came after the government denied Prince Harry’s request for police protection outside royal residences.
Prince Harry has repeatedly said that he does not believe it is safe to bring Meghan and their children to the UK under the current security arrangements. After losing his legal challenge over police protection in 2025, Harry said he could not “see a world” in which he would bring his family back to the UK at that point.
The family lost their automatic taxpayer-funded police protection after stepping down as senior working royals. Given the lack of security, Meghan and their children have not returned to the UK in any official capacity since moving to the US.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry claimed the family has not ruled out travelling elsewhere in Britain.
“The Duke continues to explore every available option to enable the visit to proceed safely and to give his children the opportunity to enjoy the UK,” they said, as per ABC News.
While Harry’s official itinerary remains tight-lipped, there are conflicting reports regarding where he will reside in London. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex claimed he had accepted an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace during his upcoming London visit. However, Buckingham Palace issued a contradictory statement, according to the BBC.
The palace’s spokesperson claimed Prince Harry had not accepted the invitation in time and had therefore recinded the offer.
“It is therefore unclear why, having formally accepted the accommodation offer, it has now been withdrawn at the last moment,” said the spokesman for the Duke of Sussex, as per the BBC.
It is believed the Sussexes will visit Princess Diana’s ancestral home and resting place, Althorp House. Speculation began when the estate’s website noted it would be closed to visitors on July 10 and 11, when the family is believed to be in the country.
Additionally, after the government’s denial, a source then informed The Guardian that Prince Harry was exploring other options.
“Their plans to see family, friends and visit various charitable causes close to the duke’s heart have been pulled out from under their feet at the 11th hour. He’s looking at every option to try and get the family here safely and keep them safe when they’re on the ground. If he can find a way to do that he will,” the source said.
“The hope is they can meet their grandfather, but there is no way that can happen if they are chased by paparazzi wherever they go from the moment they step off the plane. He won’t put his children through that.”
The Invictus Games were founded by Prince Harry in 2014 after he was inspired by the Warrior Games in the United States. Competitors from around the world take part in sports that have been adapted for people living with physical injuries, illness or psychological trauma.
Even after stepping back from royal duties, he has remained heavily involved through the Invictus Games Foundation. They have been held all over the world, including in Sydney in 2018, which coincided with Prince Harry and Meghan’s first royal tour to Australia, when they announced they were expecting their first child.
The Duke of Sussex arrived in the UK on 6 July, and attended a premiere of Shoot the People, a documentary which follows global activists fighting for equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and more. He attended in a very casual get-up including sneakers and a black shirt with an open collar.
The following day, Prince Harry attended various events for the Invictus Games Foundation. He attended a talk on Policy to Practice at Chatham House. Also on Tuesday, news broke that the Duke’s court case with Daily Mail’s publisher was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
The Prince released a statement calling the decision an “obvious whitewash.” Read more here.
