Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rumored to be staying at Princess Diana’s childhood home when they travel to the UK next month for an Invictus Games event.
Reports suggest the Sussexes have already been offered royal lodging, though it remains unclear whether they have accepted.
Harry’s father, King Charles, has reportedly longed to see his grandchildren, whom the Duke is expected to bring with him. However, reports claim the move has left things icy with his other son, Prince William.
Prince Harry And Meghan May Stay At Diana’s Childhood Home
Harry and Meghan’s accommodation upon their arrival in the UK has remained a subject of great curiosity for many.
Speculation has been mounting that the Montecito-based royals may skip royal lodging or a hotel and instead consider staying at Althorp House.
The sprawling residence is the ancestral estate of the Spencer family and the childhood home and final resting place of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
The 13,000-acre estate in West Northamptonshire is just an hour from Birmingham, where the Duke is expected to appear at an event marking the official one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
According to PEOPLE, the estate will be closed to the general public from July 10 to July 11, leaving many suspicious that the Sussexes could either stay there or at least visit when they arrive in the UK.
The Sussexes’ Lodging Plans Remain Unclear
Harry has always been open about his willingness to reunite with his family and to visit the UK more often, but his security situation previously prevented him from doing so.
He and Meghan are expected to make the trip with their children, Archie and Lilibet, who have not been back to the UK since 2022, during Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
It remains unclear whether Harry will meet his father during the trip, as Buckingham Palace has continued to avoid commenting on private family matters.
However, reports indicate the couple has been invited to stay at an undisclosed royal estate during their visit and was given reassurances from Buckingham Palace that they will receive “safe and secure passage” in and out of the residence, per the BBC.
Prince Harry Not Expected To Meet William And Kate
Meanwhile, Harry’s return to his home country with his family does not seem to be improving the frosty state of things between him and his estranged elder brother, Prince William.
British media editor Dan Wakeford said he had been speaking with several insiders about what things look like ahead of the Duke’s upcoming trip. He warned royal watchers not to hold their breath for “a complete reconciliation with the family.”
“It’s a slight thaw and a good beginning,” he said, per Fox News Digital. “[Harry] is not going to be meeting William. I cannot see that happening at all. Harry reportedly wants [King] Charles to spend time with Archie and Lilibet, and he’s been pushing for that. And I think that will likely happen from talking to folks in and around this.”
Wakeford went further to explain that a meeting with William and Kate is “incredibly unlikely.” He claimed that even though their father may welcome Harry with open arms, the Waleses’ home is “completely bolted shut right now.”
King Charles To Reportedly Help With Harry’s Security
The expert also noted that since His Majesty is looking to spend time with Archie and Lilibet, he might consider covering their security bill while they are in the UK.
However, Wakeford pointed out that “folks are not confirming this on the record right now.”
“Harry is testing whether a UK presence is sustainable again, and July 10 is the test run,” Wakeford said. “Whether it becomes the first of many trips, which is the phrase being used around this, depends entirely on how Charles handles it and whether William keeps his distance. William’s position is hardened just as much as ever, and it seems permanent.”
Harry and Meghan lost their taxpayer-funded police protection after stepping down from their royal roles and relocating abroad.
Charles And William Supposedly Clash Over Prince Harry
The situation appears to be causing some friction between William and his father, Charles.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed the future king is “livid” about Harry and Meghan’s return and has been at loggerheads with Charles over their place in the royal fold.
“It’s been described by those close to both as putting their relationship ‘at a very low ebb,’” Fordwich said, adding that while the King remains open to reconciliation as “a forgiving Christian man,” William believes it will only hurt the royal family more.
“Charles is a very kind, family-oriented man who wants to see his grandchildren and presumably play a role in their lives,” royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told the news outlet. “He also wants to create a culture where Meghan feels comfortable to return. [But] we are told William is furious about all of this.”