King Charles has no intention of changing his busy schedule this week, despite hopes for a meeting with his son Prince Harry and his grandchildren. The Duke of Sussex will arrive in the UK on Monday, July 6, traveling alone due to ongoing safety concerns for his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
The King was eager to see his grandchildren, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, but those hopes appear dashed after Harry’s decision not to bring his family to London. Meghan has not visited the UK since the Queen’s funeral in September 2022, and their children last traveled to the UK in June 2022 during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
King Charles has had only limited opportunities to meet Archie and has met Lilibet just once last summer. Despite the anticipation, Buckingham Palace insiders confirm there will be no changes to the King’s numerous public and private engagements scheduled throughout the week.
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Late last month, Harry and Meghan announced their full itinerary for the UK visit, including joint events in London and Birmingham. However, the Home Office’s refusal to provide taxpayer-funded security forced them into an immediate change of plans, with Harry traveling alone.
Since stepping back from their royal duties in March 2020 and moving to the United States, the Sussexes lost entitlement to public security at taxpayers’ expense. Harry reportedly reacted with frustration to the decision, with government sources suggesting his early public announcement was an attempt to pressure authorities.
Royal insiders describe the unfolding travel dramas as “tiresome,” pointing out that Harry had not communicated his travel plans or responded to invitations, including an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace. The last-minute changes have made arranging a meeting between the King and his son “immensely difficult.”
Despite concerns for safety, Buckingham Palace offered Meghan and the children the option to stay at a royal residence, but no confirmation of acceptance has been received. Harry has also previously declined such offers, citing insufficient security, amid reports of several terrorist plots targeting him, including calls for his assassination.
Over the past week, the Sussexes have been at their holiday home in Portugal, with their private security team working on travel logistics. If Meghan and the children eventually come to the UK, sources say they may spend time at Earl Spencer’s Althorp estate in Northamptonshire, away from London.
Harry’s week will include several public engagements: on Tuesday and Wednesday, he will represent the Invictus Games Foundation in London; on Thursday and Friday, he will attend events in Birmingham as Patron of WellChild and for the Invictus anniversary at the NEC. He will also attend a summer festival in Warwickshire on Sunday as ambassador for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, near Althorp, the resting place of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales have no plans to meet Harry or his family during this visit, having had no communication with them since the Queen’s funeral.
Suggestions have been made that Harry could meet the King at one of his country estates, such as Highgrove or Sandringham, but no formal request has been made.
The palace has declined to comment on these developments.