King Charles ‘offered Harry a place to stay for UK visit’ but he ‘turned it down’
A friend of King Charles said ‘recollections may vary’ over claims he snubbed his younger son by not seeing him on a rare visit to the UK.
Sources claimed he had agreed to let Prince Harry stay in a royal residence, now he no longer has access to Frogmore Cottage.
But the prince, who had reportedly made the request to stay initially, opted to stay in a hotel instead during his three-day visit from California.
It comes after reports the King, who has cancer, ‘snubbed’ his son by not finding time to see him.
A spokesperson for Harry said previously: ‘It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
‘The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’
Harry has only seen the King once since his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Sources told the Times today that ‘to the best of their understanding’, Prince Harry had not requested a meeting nor invited him to a service at St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the ten-year anniversary of the Invictus Games.
A friend of the King, 75, told the paper: ‘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.’
They echoed the famous statement made by Buckhingham Palace after Harry and Meghan’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which claims were made of racism in the royal family.
But a friend of Harry’s gave a differing account, saying that even in the unlikely event the request to meet didn’t get through, ‘could His Majesty not have made a request to see his son? It was widely known he was coming.’
The Times reported that the King is thought to have found time for a private meeting with footballer David Beckham to discuss charitable work during the time his son was in the UK.
The prince gave little indication he was thinking of the issues as he and his wife arrived in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and support mental health for young people affected by conflicts.
Travelling to the West African nation for the first time, they visited the Lightway Academy college which receives support from their Archewell Foundation to educate and train young girls affected by conflicts.
Meghan told those attended: ‘It is a complete honour to have our first visit to Nigeria, be here with all of you. We believe in you. We believe in your future.’
Student Nnenna Okorie could not hide her excitement at meeting the couple.
‘She is the prettiest human being ever,’ she said. ‘I admire her so much and then Harry. I love how he is so supportive.’
The Nigerian military has touted the Invictus Games as one which could help the recovery of thousands of its personnel who have been fighting the homegrown Boko Haram Islamic extremists and their factions since 2009 when they launched an insurgency.
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