Prince Harry snubbed meeting with King Charles 'over security fears'

Prince Harry appeared to have rejected an invite to meet with King Charles in London, over 'security concerns', it's been claimed.

The Duke of Sussex visited the UK on a solo trip earlier this month to attend a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral marking 10 years of the Invictus Games.

Following years of frosty relations, since Harry decided to step down as a senior royal in 2020, it was hoped he could free up some of his time to speak with his dad whilst he was in the UK, reports the Mirror.

However, it was later confirmed by his team that no reunion would be taking place.

"It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty's full programme", a statement from the Duke's spokesperson said.

He also stayed at a hotel during the brief trip rather than a royal residence.

However, it's now been reported that Harry was invited to use one of the royal houses during his trip - but the Duke refused the offer as it did not come with appropriate security arrangements.

Instead, he opted for a hotel room, which also allowed him to "come and go unseen", reports the Telegraph.

Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.

It's not yet been confirmed which residence he was given the chance to stay in - but it was likely St James' Palace in London, which is often used by members of the Royal Family on an ad-hoc basis.

Princess Beatrice also had her own flat on the Palace grounds, whilst Princess Anne has her own suite and parking spot on site.

St James' Palace is located just yards from Clarence House, which is used by King Charles as his London residence, meaning a meeting between father and son in private could have taken place.

All royal estates are covered by strict security regimes, including armed guards at all entry and exit points.

Prince Harry has been embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with the Home Office over his security in the UK after he was told he couldn't pay for his own policing.

When the Duke visits these days, his security is said to be managed on a "bespoke" case-by-case basis, rather than being automatically supplied by the state. This means that sometimes Harry pays for private security himself, while on other occasions it is provided and paid for by the government. Harry has argued that he does not feel safe enough to bring his family with him unless he is given assured police security.

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