Buckingham Palace has been thrown into disarray by a fresh rift between King Charles and Prince Harry after the palace withdrew an offer for Harry to stay overnight. The decision came after a 10-day hesitation; the Duke of Sussex initially declined the offer due to security reasons preventing his family from attending, before changing his mind and requesting it for himself, only to be informed later that arrangements and staff were no longer available because of his delayed response, based on consultations with the king.

In contrast, a spokesman for Prince Harry accused the palace administration of withdrawing the offer 'at the last minute,' explaining that the delay was due to waiting for alternative security arrangements after his family was deprived of official protection, expressing frustration with the official justifications. Despite this back-and-forth, Harry has indeed arrived in the UK for a 5-day visit coinciding with preparations for the Invictus Games in Birmingham, and he still insists on meeting his father, who has a busy schedule alongside his cancer treatment.

On a parallel track, Meghan Markle is exploring the possibility of joining her husband along with their children Archie and Lilibet to participate in the games' events, provided a brief visit of no more than 24 hours is secured and the family's safety is guaranteed, amid ongoing hopes for a meeting that would bring the children together with their grandfather the king for the first time since 2022, along with a scheduled visit to Althorp Estate where Princess Diana rests.