Prince Harry will travel to London alone for an upcoming visit, as his wife, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will not be joining him. The decision follows a denial of a request for police protection, a point of contention for Harry.
Sources close to the couple indicated that while the family will not arrive in London with Harry on Monday, there remains a possibility they could join him for other parts of his U.K. tour later in the week. Archie and Lilibet have not seen their grandfather, King Charles, since 2022. Harry is reportedly seeking to bring his children to Althorp, their late grandmother Princess Diana's family home, where she is buried, to connect them with their British heritage. "It's important to him that the English side of their heritage is part of their life," a source stated, emphasizing that "their security is everything."
Meghan is scheduled to join Prince Harry for an event in Birmingham on Friday to support the Invictus Games, a charity he founded in 2014 for wounded service members. It is unclear if the children would accompany them on this or other potential visits to different parts of the U.K.
Harry has expressed frustration over the security arrangements for his visits to the U.K., noting that he must provide three weeks' notice for his trips, which are then assessed on a case-by-case basis. He has previously voiced concerns about "real and credible threats," including terrorism, against his family in the capital. His team had initially briefed the press that the entire family would be visiting, but this was later revised.
Tentative plans are in place for Harry to meet privately with King Charles during his trip. The King, who has been undergoing cancer treatment, has expressed a desire to see his grandchildren. However, it is considered unlikely that Prince William and Princess Kate will meet with the Sussexes during this visit.
This visit coincides with the ruling in Harry's legal case against Associated Newspapers, expected Tuesday. Harry is accusing the publisher of unlawful means to obtain stories, a charge the publisher denies. A loss in this case could result in significant legal fees for Prince Harry.
Meghan and Harry stepped down as working members of the royal family in March 2020, relocating first to Canada and then to the United States, where they currently reside in Montecito. Friends have noted that both Archie and Lilibet have developed strong American accents, and Harry has spoken of his desire for his children to know their British heritage.