Prince Harry was offered accommodation at Buckingham Palace on his last trip to the UK in May but turned down the rooms to stay in a hotel, it has been claimed.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, travelled to Britain to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, before jetting off to Nigeria with his wife Meghan, 43, for a quasi-royal tour.
It was previously reported that Harry had asked his father to stay at a royal residence during the trip, but he appeared to change his mind and opted for a hotel instead.
But it has now been claimed that the prince was offered rooms at Buckingham Palace while his father was staying at nearby Clarence House, according to the Times.
Harry did not see his father, King Charles, 75, during the trip, and the duke released a statement saying the king had not had time to meet him.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, traveled to Britain to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games in May.
King Charles III speaks to guests attending a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace on the same day Harry was in the UK.
Harry and Meghan are currently on a quasi-royal tour of Colombia that will last four days.
It is understood that at the time of the trip there were rooms available in several royal residences, but the accommodation offered by the Palace was previously unknown.
A source told the Times: “I don’t know what else the King could have done. He offered Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace, but it seems even that wasn’t enough.”
“It was not at all clear what the Duke’s plans were. When the time came, there was no space in the King’s diary between treatment and other scheduled events.”
They added: ‘Harry’s decision to stay in a hotel is even more bizarre when the Palace would naturally offer all the security one could wish for.
“It would also have made more sense from the point of view of seeing his father, as it would be easier for the King to see his son if they were nearby.”
Expectations had been growing for a reunion between the 39-year-old and his 75-year-old father for the first time since Harry’s sudden flight to Britain after learning the king was being treated for an unspecified form of cancer.
According to sources close to Harry, he had notified his father of his intention to see him during the trip. However, the king’s circles insist that the duke had not notified him in advance despite the request for accommodation.
Sources close to Harry said a request to see his father had been made long before the visit, which “had been on the radar for a long time”.
It has now been claimed that the prince was offered rooms at Buckingham Palace while his father was staying at nearby Clarence House.
The Sussexes arrive in Colombia, landing in the capital Bogotá for their four-day royal tour, three months after their visit to Nigeria.
Prince Harry is seen shaking hands with Ms Marquez as Meghan looks on with a smile. The Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple’s official visit.
Meghan Markle is seen smiling broadly as she greets Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez in Bogota
Royal protocols reportedly require the Duke to give the King and the Home Office 28 days’ notice to request security.
But while the King is said to have approved a request from Harry to stay at a royal residence, the visit never took place, and sources say that regardless of the request, the estranged Duke did not see his father.
Friends of the duke claimed Charles was not making time for his son in his schedule, following a statement to that effect from Harry’s representatives.
A spokesman for the duke said Charles was too busy to see his son: “Regrettably, this will not be possible due to Her Majesty’s busy schedule.”
‘The Duke, of course, understands his father’s daily commitments and other priorities and looks forward to seeing him soon.’
The King had a busy schedule while his son was in town, including the Buckingham Palace portion and his regular weekly audience with the Prime Minister on the same day as the Invictus thanksgiving event and a visit to a military barracks.
Earlier this year, Harry had rushed to the UK to see his father after the King called him to inform him of his cancer diagnosis.
The couple briefly met at Clarence House before the King flew to Sandringham, where he spent much of his time while receiving treatment.
Invictus Games Foundation Chief Executive Dominic Reid and Prince Harry at the Honourable Artillery Company in London in May
King Charles III is pictured holding papers as he arrives at Clarence House in London as Harry prepares to fly out on a plane.
It is unclear when Harry, who is currently on a four-day trip to Colombia with his wife Meghan, will see his father again.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were welcomed to the South American nation before visiting a school to discuss the impact of social media.
Harry and Meghan were welcomed yesterday in the capital, Bogotá, by Colombia’s Vice President Francia Márquez, who invited the couple after watching their Netflix documentary series, and her husband Rafael Yerney Pinillo.
After arriving in Colombia, the couple spent about half an hour at the vice president’s residence, where they exchanged welcome gifts and were offered tea, coffee and traditional pandebono (Colombian bread with cheese).
The Sussexes have a full security team throughout their visit along with Ms Marquez, who treated the couple to what has been dubbed a DIY royal tour, following a similar trip to Nigeria.
Over the next four days, the Sussexes will visit the city of Bogotá before heading to Cartagena and Cali as part of a “cultural and social” visit.
Harry will also meet with members of the Colombia team taking part in the Invictus Games, who are preparing for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been contacted for comment.
