Harry and Meghan Offered Royal Residence as Family Plans First UK Visit With Children in Four Years

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been offered a royal residence to stay in during their visit to the UK with their children next month, marking the family's first trip to the country together in four years.

A Significant Family Trip

Prince Harry and Meghan will be accompanied by their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, for what represents a notable milestone in the family's relationship with the United Kingdom after an extended absence. BBC News understands that the family has been offered accommodation on a royal estate but have not yet responded to the invitation.

A History of Declining Buckingham Palace

The specific residence offered to the family for this visit has not been disclosed, though Prince Harry's past responses to similar offers provide some context for how the family has approached accommodation during prior trips. On previous visits, Prince Harry has declined the offer to stay at Buckingham Palace due to security concerns over using such a high-profile, visible building. It is not clear which royal residence has been made available to the family this time around.

The Reason Behind the Trip

The visit is tied to a specific commitment Prince Harry made well before any broader family travel plans were finalized. Prince Harry had already committed to a series of events in the UK next month to mark a year to go to the Invictus Games for injured military personnel. The Games will be hosted in Birmingham next July.

Harry's Past Comments on Reconciliation

The planned visit comes against the backdrop of Prince Harry's previously stated hope for repairing his relationship with the wider Royal Family. In a BBC News interview last year, Prince Harry spoke of his desire for a "reconciliation" with the Royal Family.

A Limited Recent History of In-Person Contact

The extended gap since the family's last UK visit together has also meant limited opportunities for King Charles to see his grandchildren in person. The last time the King saw his grandchildren in person was during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

There has, however, been more recent direct contact between Prince Harry and his father. During a visit to the UK in September last year, Prince Harry met his father at Clarence House, which was their first face-to-face meeting since February 2024.

Security Arrangements Remain Unresolved

While the residence offer has been extended, questions remain about what additional security measures, if any, will accompany the family's visit. While the security arrangements around the family visit remain unclear, it is understood that no extra security provision has been offered by Buckingham Palace. Any additional security provision will be a matter for the Home Office.

That distinction is significant given Prince Harry's past public statements and ongoing legal proceedings related to his security arrangements when visiting the UK, an issue that has previously factored into his decisions about where to stay and how to structure his trips to the country.

Buckingham Palace Stays Silent on a Possible Reunion

Despite the significant interest surrounding the visit, particularly the prospect of King Charles meeting his grandchildren and son in person for the first time in years, Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the matter. Buckingham Palace will not comment on the possibility of the King meeting his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, describing it as a private family matter.

That measured, non-committal stance from the palace reflects the broader sensitivity surrounding the Sussexes' relationship with the rest of the Royal Family, an area where official statements have historically remained scarce regardless of the level of public and media interest in any potential reconciliation.

A Visit Shaped by Both Public Duty and Private Family Matters

The trip's dual nature — combining Prince Harry's public commitment to promoting the upcoming Invictus Games with the deeply personal question of whether and how the family might reconnect with the King and other senior royals — has placed it at the intersection of royal duty and private family dynamics. The family has not yet responded to the accommodation offer, leaving open the question of whether they will accept the residence currently being made available to them, or whether security or other considerations might lead them to seek alternative arrangements, as Prince Harry has done on past visits when offered stays at Buckingham Palace specifically.

With the visit's date now approaching and the accommodation offer still pending a response from the Sussexes, attention will likely turn in the coming weeks to whether the family accepts the royal residence offer, what security arrangements the Home Office ultimately puts in place, and whether the trip produces any in-person contact between King Charles and his grandchildren or son beyond the scheduled Invictus Games events. Given Buckingham Palace's continued reluctance to address the matter publicly, any developments regarding a potential family reunion are likely to emerge gradually, through royal correspondents' reporting rather than official palace statements, as the visit draws closer.