Harry, Meghan UK visit: Couple accept King Charles’ offer to stay at royal residence during upcoming trip: Report | Today’s news
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will stay at the royal residence during their visit to the United Kingdom next month, marking their first trip to the country in four years and fueling hopes of a possible reconciliation with the royal family, CNN reported.
According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be accompanied by their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
The visit will be the family’s first trip to the UK since 2022, when they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
He receives royal accommodation for the first time
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
Harry and Meghan will visit the UK to attend events related to the Invictus Games, potentially signaling a thaw in relations with the royal family.
Harry and Meghan have accepted an offer to stay in a royal residence for the first time and plan to split their stay between royal and private accommodation.
It is unclear whether Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will meet King Charles during their visit, as he last saw them during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.
The trip is significant as it marks the family’s first visit in four years and may represent an effort to reconcile with the British royal family after years of public tension.
Harry’s strained relationship with the royal family, stemming from their stepping down from royal duties and constant public scrutiny, is affecting his family visits, raising security concerns and the potential for a reconciliation.
Citing a palace source, CNN reported that the Sussex family had previously been offered accommodation at the royal estate for future visits. The family has now accepted the offer for the first time.
A mix of royal and private stays
According to the outlet, the family plans to split their stay between the royal residence and private accommodation during the visit.
The trip is being watched closely as it could signal a thaw in relations between Prince Harry and the rest of the royal family after years of public tension.
Harry, Meghan quit royal life for ‘financial independence’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California, saying they want to live a “financially independent” life. Their departure sparked a long-running rift with the British royal family.
In subsequent television interviews and in Harry’s memoir, the couple cited intense tabloid scrutiny, difficult family relationships and what they described as entrenched racism in British institutions as key reasons for leaving the UK.
Royal relations remain under scrutiny
Since returning from royal life, Harry has made several separate visits to the UK. Meghan accompanied him to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, while Harry himself attended the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.
Harry was reunited with his father for the first time in 19 months in September last year, when the two reportedly shared a private meeting over tea at Clarence House. The meeting came as King Charles underwent cancer treatment and sparked speculation of a possible thaw in the relationship. And Harry is still believed to be estranged from his brother Prince William.
Invictus Games Anniversary Events
Harry last returned to London in January to attend a trial in a lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail over allegations of illegal information gathering and phone hacking.
The upcoming visit in July will coincide with events marking one year to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, the international sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick soldiers which Harry founded more than a decade ago.
According to CNN, the visit will begin with events related to Invictus in London, where Harry will be joined by Meghan. He is also expected to attend engagements in the Midlands linked to other charity events he supports.
Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are not expected to take part in the public engagement, and details of the family’s private agenda have not been released.
Read also | Will King Charles leave Buckingham Palace next year? Here’s what we know about it
