King Charles urged to turn his back on Prince Harry on UK visit -
Investigative biographer Tom Bower has warned that it would be "terrible" for King Charles to "play along" during Prince Harry's upcoming visit to the UK. The Duke of Sussex is returning in July to attend the Invictus Games' One Year to Go event in London along with his wife, Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Although not confirmed by Palace officials, it has been widely reported that the monarch has offered his son and his family a stay at a royal residence, as well as security. This remains contentious, as an official conclusion on the status of Prince Harry's UK-based security has yet to be confirmed after his court battle with the Home Office.
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Now, Mr Bower, whose book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, triggered a fiery statement from the Sussexes earlier this year, has warned that all the Sussexes are looking for is a "lifeline".
Mr Bower exclusively told the Daily Express: “They've run out of opportunities in America. They need to restore their credibility somehow. They just need some sort of lifeline, and that's what is in London with the Royal Family. And it would be terrible if the King played along with them in my view.”
The author also took aim at Prince Harry and Meghan's decision to bring their two young children. Calling the move "emotional blackmail" to secure a meeting with the King, Mr Bower said
“I think it is emotional blackmail, and I think that Harry needs the King in Birmingham to give himself and the game's credibility, and I think that it will be very divisive.
"You've got to remember that when they left England, in their interviews and films and everything they've done, they always said they needed a public apology from the King, the Royal Family and from Prince William, but there is not going to be an apology.
"It's they who should apologise for all the lies and terrible damage they've done."
The Sun claims there is “an agreement” that the monarch will meet Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, whom he has not seen in person since they last visited the UK in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. It is not yet known if Meghan will join Harry, Archie and Lilibet in meeting the King.
Following Harry’s security fears, it is understood the family has been invited to stay in a royal residence, with the paper even claiming that they could stay in Buckingham Palace - with an insider describing it as the “safest building in Britain”. This is despite the fact that Harry was offered a stay at the Palace during a previous return to the UK, but declined the offer as he felt it was not secure enough.
The paper reports that Meghan has agreed to stay in a royal home with armed guards for her first visit back since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022. In the years since, Prince Harry has made several solo trips back, such as for King Charles's coronation in 2023 and to support the charities he remains connected to in the UK.
His last visit came in September last year, when he had a private 45-minute meeting with his father at Clarence House. As he attended an event in London afterwards, he said of the King, "Yes, he's great", when spoken to by reporters.
The update comes as an official conclusion on the status of Prince Harry's UK-based security is yet to be confirmed.
Back in May 2025, Harry lost a legal case to have his police protection reinstated whenever he returns to the UK. In a bombshell BBC interview after the ruling, Harry said that it was "too dangerous" to bring his family to the UK as he could not guarantee their safety.
In December, it was claimed that Harry's security access when he visits the UK was under review. But no change to the arrangements has been publicly announced.
A government spokesperson said: "The UK Government's protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our longstanding policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals' security."