King Charles rebuffs Prince Harry after olive branch snub

Prince Harry rejected a rare olive branch after the palace closed its gates to the Duke on the anniversary of the Queen’s death.

Prince Harry rejected a rare olive branch to reunite with the Royal Family on the anniversary of the Queen’s death after he was refused access to Windsor Castle.

In a major escalation of tensions between the warring family, Buckingham Palace would not allow the Duke of Sussex to stay at Windsor Castle during his recent visit to the United Kingdom.

Prince Harry’s speech in London for the WellChild Awards was his first return to the UK since he and his wife Meghan Markle were evicted from Frogmore Cottage.

But his request to stay at Windsor Castle during the short stop on his way to Germany for the Invictus Games was rejected due to lack of “warning”, according to well-placed palace informants.

Prince Harry rejected a rare olive branch from King Charles III. Picture: AFP

Royal aides have stressed to Prince Harry that he could stay on one of the royal estates but that a formal request must be made to Buckingham Palace to give “suitable warning of any such visit”, according to a report by the UK’s Telegraph.

With the King in Scotland, palace staff were not on hand in London to accommodate Prince Harry during the one-night stopover.

After being told that the notice was too short on his recent trip, Prince Harry was told that the King would be at Balmoral and the Duke was welcome to join the royal family while they would be marking the first anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince Harry and Ms Markle had previously not been invited to Balmoral for the occasion, according to reports, and so the rejection of the offer due to the tight schedule was seen as a “golden opportunity missed” for the father and son to reconnect.

Instead, the Duke of Sussex was photographed alone leaving St George’s Chapel, Windsor to mark the anniversary of the Queen’s death.

“He should have braved it out and gone to see them,” Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine told The Sun.

If the King invites you to Balmoral, then most people would cancel all of their travel plans.

“He could have easily rearranged things slightly to allow himself the time.

“Any attempts for a rapprochement must be on the King’s terms. I’m glad he is showing some backbone and offering this olive branch.

Ms. Seward said the King was a forgiving man that would always welcome home his son, but that it had to be on his terms that Prince Harry apologises, not on the Duke’s schedule.

“Harry must have known that not only the King but the whole of the Royal Court decamp to Balmoral for the summer and that was the only place he could go,” she added.

“If he wants security and somewhere to stay, palaces which are dust sheeted and throughly cleaned when royals are not in residence during summer are not going to be opened for Harry.”

Originally published as King Charles rebuffs Prince Harry after olive branch snub