It has been confirmed that the Duchess of Sussex will not accompany her husband Prince Harry on any of his UK visits this week.
Meghan was scheduled to appear alongside Harry at events including the ceremony to mark a year to go until the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
But after long discussions centred around the lack of state-funded security for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they are in the UK, her office has confirmed she will not be at any of the public events he is attending.
The biggest event is Friday’s Invictus Games gathering at the NEC in Birmingham, which is hosting the tournament for wounded, injured and sick military veterans in July 2027.
The couple’s office had previously announced the Duke and Duchess would be attending together – along with some of the other charity events Harry had in his diary for this week.
But when the committee which decides on Harry and Meghan’s security protection during their time in the UK told the couple they would not get any state-level protection, it was decided Harry would attend the events alone.
ITV News understands last minute discussions have been taking place in the last few days over a meeting between Prince Harry and his father, King Charles.
They are trying to find a mutually convenient time and location for the father and son to see each other, but staff in both camps are suspicious of the others’ motives.
The latest arrangements centre on Harry travelling 90 minutes from Birmingham to meet the King at his Highgrove estate in Glouchestershire.
Harry is trying to work out a way for his family to travel there too as he is keen for his two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to see their grandfather.
The last time King Charles saw his two California-based grandchildren was in the summer of 2022 – meaning they have never met him as King.
However, there is some briefing taking place on both sides about the willingness of the other side to meet – or to find a time which works for the King and Harry.
If any such reunion were to take place, it would happen away from the cameras and Meghan does not wish the children to be photographed as the couple have sought to protect the identities of Archie and Lilibet.
ITV News also understands that Prince Harry is planning to stay with his uncle, Lord Spencer, on his Althorp estate near Northampton.
It is where Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, is buried on an island in the missile of a lake.
Harry and Meghan plan to take Archie and Lilibey to see their paternal grandmother’s grave.
The Spencer family reunion on Friday and Saturday will include all of Diana’s siblings, Charles Spencer, Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
If King Charles is at his Highgrove estate this weekend, it is unlikely Queen Camilla will also be there after the negative comments Harry made about her in his book, Spare.
The Queen does have a private family home in Wiltshire where she does often stay at weekends.
It has been a difficult week for Prince Harry who was told he had left it too late to accept a room at Buckingham Palace during his visit to London.
He then suffered a convincing defeat in his libel case against the publishers off the Daily Mail
He’s also had to accept once again, that he’s is not getting any security from the Home Office during his visits to his home country – despite a long list of threats in a security assessment report seen by ITV News.
As fifth in line to the throne, and with children who are sixth and seventh in line, Harry argues the threats to the safety of his family is heightened in the UK, especially as he fought in Afghanistan for the British Army.
In Birmingham on Friday, Harry will meet many of the competitors who have suffered injured or sickness during their time in the military.
The Duke founded the Invictus Games in 2014 after his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Birmingham is a location that means a lot to many of the injured veterans, as many were flown back to the city’s Queen Elizabeth hospital from treatment after suffering life-changing injuries on the battlefield.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
