Prince Harry was offered lodging at Buckingham Palace on his last trip to the UK in May but turned the rooms down to stay in a hotel, it has been claimed.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, travelled to Britain to mark the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, before flying to Nigeria with his wife Meghan, 43, for a quasi-royal tour.
It was previously reported that Harry had asked his father to stay in a royal residence on the trip, but appeared to change his mind and instead opted for a hotel.
But it has now been claimed the prince was offered rooms in Buckingham Palace while his father was staying at nearby Clarence House, according to the Times.
Harry did not see his father King Charles, 75, during the trip, with the Duke releasing a statement that said the King did not have time to meet with him.
It is understood that at the time of trip, rooms were available in various royal residences, but previously the accommodation offered by the Palace was unknown.
A source told the Times: ‘I don’t know what more the King could have done. He offered Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace but that it seems even that wasn’t good enough.
‘It was far from clear what the duke’s plans were. When it came to it there was no space in the King’s diary in between treatment and other scheduled events.’
They added: ‘It makes Harry’s decision to stay in a hotel all the more strange when the Palace would naturally offer all the security you could wish for.
‘It would also have made more sense from a point of view of seeing his father as it would be easier for the King to see his son if they were staying nearby.’
Expectations had been growing of a reunion between the 39-year-old and his father, 75, for the first time since Harry’s sudden dash to Britain after learning that the King was being treated for an unspecified form of cancer.
Sources in Harry’s camp say he had notified his father of an intent to see him during the trip. However, those within the King’s circles insist that there was no notification given by the Duke ahead of time despite the request for lodgings.
Sources close to Harry said a request was put in to see his father well in advance of the visit, which was ‘long on the radar’.
Royal protocols reportedly require the Duke to give 28 days’ warning to the King and the Home Office to request security.
But while the King is said to have signed off on a request by Harry to stay in a royal residence the visit never came to pass – and sources say regardless of the request the estranged Duke did not see his father.
Friends of the Duke claimed Charles would not make time in his diary for his son – following a statement to that effect from Harry’s representatives.
A spokesperson for the Duke claimed Charles was too busy to see his son: ‘It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.
‘The duke is of course understanding of his father’s diary commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’
The King did have a packed schedule while his son was in town including the Buckingham Palace part and his regular weekly audience with the Prime Minister the same day as the Invictus thanksgiving event and a visit to a military barracks.
Earlier in the year Harry had rushed over to the UK to see his father after the King phoned him to inform him of his cancer diagnosis.
The pair met briefly at Clarence House before the King flew to Sandringham, where he has spent much of his time while receiving treatment.
It is not clear when Harry, who is currently on a four-day trip to Colombia with his wife Meghan, will next see his father.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were welcomed to the South American nation before visiting a school to discuss the impact of social media.
Harry and Meghan were met in the capital Bogota yesterday by Colombia’s vice-president Francia Marquez, who invited the couple after watching their Netflix docuseries, and her husband Rafael Yerney Pinillo.
After their arrival in Colombia, the couple spent around half-an-hour at the vice-president’s residence, where they exchanged welcome gifts and were offered tea, coffee and traditional pandebono – Colombian cheese bread.
The Sussexes are being given a full security detail throughout their visit alongside Ms Marquez, who invited the couple for what has been dubbed a DIY royal tour, following a similar trip to Nigeria.
Across the next four days, the Sussexes will take in the city of Bogotá before heading off to Cartagena and Cali as part of a ‘cultural and social’ visit.
Harry will also meet members of the Team Colombia squad participating in the Invictus Games, who are gearing up for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been contacted for comment.