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In a surprising turn of events, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, reportedly declined an offer from King Charles for a royal residency during his recent visit to the UK. Despite the offer of accommodation, Harry opted to stay in a hotel instead, according to sources close to the royal family.
Harry, who no longer has an official residence in the UK since vacating Frogmore Cottage last year, visited the country to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games. King Charles, understanding the logistical challenges Harry might face, extended the offer of a royal residency to make it easier for him to see his father, who is undergoing cancer treatment.
However, despite being just two miles away from St Paul's Cathedral, where Harry addressed an audience, the Duke and the King did not meet. Sources close to Harry insist that he had requested to see his father well in advance of the visit, and the meeting was
"long on the radar."
Sources say Harry did not ask to meet his father
Friends of King Charles, on the other hand, maintain that Harry neither requested to see his father nor invited him to attend the service at St Paul's last Tuesday. They highlight the King's busy schedule, which included attending a Buckingham Palace garden party, holding a weekly audience with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and undertaking a military engagement in Wiltshire.
"It's all very sad," said a friend of King Charles. "While he was hardly going to roll out the red carpet the moment this Invictus trip was announced, with doctors advising him to focus on his treatment and recovery, the idea that he refused to find space in his diary ... well, let's say recollections may vary once again."
The decision by Prince Harry to decline the offer of a royal residency has sparked speculation about the state of his relationship with his father. As Harry continues to navigate his new life away from royal duties, his interactions with the royal family are closely scrutinized by the media and royal watchers alike.