Prince Harry refuses offer to stay at Buckingham Palace during UK visit

Prince Harry has reportedly declined an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace during his upcoming visit to London for a High Court trial against News Group Newspapers (NGN). 

The Duke of Sussex, who is suing the publisher over allegations of phone hacking, is set to travel to the UK later this month, but he is understood to have turned down the royal residence option.

Instead, Harry, 40, will likely stay elsewhere, following his recent visits where he stayed at Althorp House, the home of his uncle, Earl Charles Spencer. 

His former UK residence, Frogmore Cottage, was vacated in 2023 after he and wife Meghan Markle were evicted from the property.

Reports suggest that while Buckingham Palace extended an invitation for Harry to stay there during this trip, he opted for other accommodations, a decision predicted by royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams. 

Fitzwilliams had previously stated that Harry might resist staying at the palace due to his ongoing strained relationship with the monarchy.

Additionally, Harry’s security arrangements have changed since stepping down as a senior royal in 2020. He no longer has automatic police protection, with his security now decided on a case-by-case basis. 

After a lengthy legal battle, the Duke lost his fight for automatic police protection while in the UK. However, he was granted permission in June 2024 to appeal the ruling.