Prince Harry is heading back to Britain this week, but the Royal Family reportedly has no intention of letting his visit dominate the headlines.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, is expected to spend several days in the UK promoting the Invictus Games before traveling to England’s Midlands and making a private visit to the grave of his late mother, Princess Diana, at Althorp.
However, palace insiders claim senior royals are preparing to quietly undermine Harry’s trip by filling the royal calendar with enough public appearances to “totally drown out” the publicity surrounding his return.
Harry will make the trip without his wife, Meghan Markle, 44, or their two children, 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet.
The family reportedly decided to stay behind because of continuing concerns over Harry’s security arrangements in Britain.
While Harry carries out his own engagements, King Charles, 77, and other senior working royals are scheduled to complete more than 29 public appearances between the duke’s arrival and departure. The packed calendar also includes private audiences and official meetings.
One palace source said there is little interest inside the royal household in becoming entangled in another round of drama involving Harry.
“There is absolutely no appetite within the household to be drawn into another cycle of drama surrounding the Duke of Sussex,” the source said. “The King’s priority, and the priority of every working royal, is to get on with the job.”
According to the insider, the palace believes the best way to respond to Harry is not to respond at all.
“The feeling is that the strongest response is not to engage with the drama but to keep the focus on public service, allowing official engagements to speak for themselves rather than reacting to every headline,” the source added.
Another royal insider said the palace is determined not to allow the monarchy’s schedule to revolve around Harry’s movements or his latest family disputes.
“The program of engagements was always going to be full, but there is a clear determination that the institution should not revolve around Harry’s movements or the latest twists in his personal situation,” the insider said.
Senior members of the Royal Family reportedly want the week’s coverage to focus on the charities, communities and organizations they are supporting rather than on Harry’s personal battles.
But the insider went even further, claiming the strategy is meant to steal attention away from the duke.
“Essentially, the intention is really to sabotage Harry’s trip by generating so much press coverage around their engagements it will drown out the publicity he wants to drum up with his visit,” the source claimed.
Many of the royal appearances were reportedly scheduled long before Harry finalized his travel plans. Still, the timing comes as frustration grows inside palace circles over what insiders see as another unnecessary controversy involving the estranged prince.
The latest dispute centers on security.
Harry reportedly hoped Meghan and the children would join him in Britain, but those plans fell apart after the Home Office’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee declined to reconsider the security arrangements imposed after the couple stepped away from royal duties.
Harry ultimately decided his family would remain elsewhere in Europe while he traveled to Britain alone.
Sources close to the situation have questioned why such a high-profile trip was organized before his security plans were settled, especially after Harry previously lost a legal challenge over his access to publicly funded police protection while visiting the UK.
The security battle is not the only complication hanging over the trip.
There are also questions about whether Harry will meet with King Charles following a separate dispute over where the duke would stay.
Charles reportedly invited his younger son to stay at a royal residence, with Buckingham Palace offered as an option. Harry, however, is no longer expected to stay there.
According to reports, Harry failed to formally accept the invitation before a deadline at the end of last week. He was then told the accommodation was no longer available.
A representative for Harry reportedly called the decision “disappointing” and accused the Royal Family of withdrawing the offer “at the last moment.”
The representative said Harry had delayed responding because he was trying to arrange his own security after learning he would not receive official protection during the visit.
It is now unclear where Harry will stay while in Britain, although the duke is known to prefer hotels over royal residences.
With Meghan and the children staying away, his palace accommodation gone and senior royals preparing for a wall-to-wall week of engagements, Harry’s latest homecoming appears to be growing more chaotic before it has even begun.
