Prince Harry Offered Royal Residence Stay but Has Not Accepted and Receives No Extra Security

Prince Harry has been offered accommodation at a royal residence to bring Meghan Markle, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to Britain this summer, Newsweek reported. Harry is expected to travel for events marking one year until the 2027 Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham.

Newsweek confirmed the accommodation offer but stated that the palace has not provided additional police protection.

Decisions on security rest with the Home Office, which does not disclose arrangements for public figures. Multiple sources told Newsweek that the offer has not yet been accepted. Harry will hold promotional events in Birmingham in July, including sport-themed fixtures that will occupy most of a week.

The offer follows precedent, as Harry has previously been offered space at Buckingham Palace. The residence has not been named. YouGov polling released in April showed Meghan liked by 26 percent of British people and disliked by 47 percent.

Harry was liked by 25 percent and disliked by 55 percent in the same survey. Harry has challenged a 2020 government decision that reduced his security after he stepped back from royal duties. A royal residence supplies police protection while the family remains inside, though it does not extend beyond the property.

Buckingham Palace lies roughly 115 miles from Birmingham. Althorp, the Spencer family estate less than 50 miles from the city, has also been discussed as a possible location. The Daily Mail reported that Althorp will close to the public for two days in July.

Bronte Coy, senior royal and entertainment reporter at news.com.au, told Newsweek that Harry has previously declined Buckingham Palace stays due to its high profile. "He certainly isn't going to want to bring his kids into that, as a first option because, these kids haven't actually been photographed front on," Coy said. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in 1997.