Buckingham Palace has withdrawn its offer of a room for Prince Harry during his UK visit this week, ITV News reported on Monday. The Duke of Sussex is travelling to London without Meghan and their children.

The offer of accommodation had been on the table for some time. Harry initially declined it, then changed his mind, but sources say he did not formally accept until Saturday. The Palace says the deadline for allocating a room and arranging staffing had already passed.

Why the timing became a problem

Palace sources also pointed to Tuesday, when judgment is due in Harry’s long-running High Court case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. They said they had concerns about the Duke staying in a royal residence on the day the ruling lands.

Harry, along with other claimants including Elton John, Liz Hurley and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, sued Associated Newspapers over claims they were the victims of unlawful information gathering. The newspaper group strongly rejected the claims, and many of the claimants gave evidence at the High Court earlier this year.

The Duke’s side sees it differently

A spokesperson for Harry said the Duke spent last week making alternative security arrangements after RAVEC, the body that decides royal protection, declined to provide security for his family. Once those arrangements were in place, he formally accepted the accommodation offer over the weekend.

The spokesperson called the withdrawal disappointing, and noted that the Palace had known about Tuesday’s judgment since last Thursday. In their words, it is unclear why the offer was pulled at the last moment after being formally accepted.

A familiar pattern in a strained relationship

Harry’s UK visits have repeatedly turned on questions of security and accommodation since he stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The dispute over RAVEC protection has run through the courts for years.

This trip was seen by some royal watchers as a possible step toward easing tensions with his father. The accommodation row suggests the two households are still finding that difficult.

Harry’s visit goes ahead this week, with the High Court judgment due on Tuesday.