If I have said it once, I have said it a million times. Harry and Meghan never cease to surprise me, which, at this point, takes real talent. The absurdity they have injected into this visit to the U.K. is possible only by people operating at the top of the chaos-creating game. Let’s try to untangle this a little bit.
The Sussexes briefed the press right toward the end of June that Harry and Meghan were coming to the United Kingdom and bringing their children to meet the King. The King had offered Harry accommodation at a royal residence (speculation was Buckingham Palace), but I do not think Harry had yet accepted.
Very shortly after briefing the press about their visit, the news broke that RAVEC was not going to approve full, royal-level protection, although the Sussexes would enjoy full royal protection at whatever royal residence they stayed at. It has crossed my mind that perhaps the Sussexes already knew RAVEC’s decision when they press-released their imminent return with the children?
Katie Nicholl, writing for Vanity Fair, reported on July 1, in the aftermath of RAVEC’s decision:
Prince Harry is still intending to bring his family to the UK next week despite a fiasco over his security arrangements that has left him “close to tears,” a source tells Vanity Fair.
When RAVEC informed the Sussexes this would not be the case, hours after they reportedly issued a detailed op note about the engagements they planned to carry out, the Duke of Sussex “was devastated and close to tears,” a source told Vanity Fair.
“He had assumed that because he was bringing the kids, and the king had made a royal residence available to them, he would get what he has been pushing for all along—full-time police protection. That has not been the case,” the source said. “The king has made it clear that while he wants to see his estranged son and grandchildren, he will not intervene in security matters.”
On July 4th, the Sussexes announced that as a result of the security denial, only Harry would be coming to London. The question of where he would stay was still up in the air. Apparently, Charles had put a Friday (July 3rd) deadline for Harry to accept or reject the invitation to stay at the Palace. I am not sure if Harry had initially accepted—when his family was accompanying him—and then rejected? Or if he had been waiting all along. But he certainly was dragging his feet on making a decision.
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