In a surprising gesture aimed at mending a years-long rift, King Charles III has invited his son Prince Harry and daughter-in-law Meghan Markle to stay at royal residences during a planned visit to the United Kingdom from July 7–11, 2026 — and for the first time, the couple have accepted the offer. Harry’s own trip is still expected to go ahead, though whether Meghan and their children ultimately join him remains unresolved amid a security dispute — in what would otherwise be the entire Sussex family’s first time setting foot in Harry’s homeland in nearly four years.

A royal source expressed hope that the visit could signal a breakthrough in strained family ties. “Any meeting between Harry and Meghan and the King would represent a huge thawing of relations,” the source said, adding that the king “loves his son and daughter-in-law dearly and would relish the chance to see his grandchildren.”

Children Have Been Away From Britain for Years

Seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet have not been to the U.K. since June 2022, when they accompanied their parents to the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Meghan herself last visited in September 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. For King Charles III, who reportedly met young Lilibet for the very first time during that 2022 Jubilee visit, the upcoming trip represents a chance to strengthen bonds with grandchildren he has seen little of in person.

The planned itinerary includes Invictus Games-related events in London followed by Harry’s travel to the Midlands, where he will mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham — the international sporting competition he founded for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel. Archie and Lilibet are not expected to take part in any public engagements during the trip.

Buckingham Palace and Other Residences Considered

A representative for the couple has confirmed they have accepted the king’s offer and will stay across a mixture of royal residences and private accommodation, though specific properties have not been disclosed. Royal insiders previously said Buckingham Palace was among the residences being considered, given its extensive security arrangements, with St James’s Palace, Windsor Castle, and Frogmore Cottage — the Sussexes’ former U.K. home — also cited as possibilities.

It marks the first time the Sussex family has taken up the king’s standing offer. Harry has in the past turned down the chance to base himself at Buckingham Palace during prior solo visits, citing concerns about the security risks that come with staying in such a prominent, high-visibility location.

Police Protection Dispute Threatens Trip

Security has been a persistent flashpoint for Harry since he and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals in 2020. A spokesperson for Harry has said the UK’s Royal and VIP Executive Committee has denied the level of police protection requested for the family while outside royal residences, adding that “the issue has never been accommodation” but rather “whether appropriate and proportionate protective security is being provided throughout the entirety of the visit.” A UK government spokesperson has responded that the protective security system “is rigorous and proportionate,” declining to comment further on individual arrangements.

The published itinerary has continued as planned, though the children’s participation has been thrown into serious doubt following the rejection, with sources describing Harry as distraught. A spokesperson for the Sussexes has said Harry “continues to explore every available option to enable the visit to proceed safely and to give his children the opportunity to enjoy the U.K.”

A Potential Royal Reunion

The question of whether King Charles III will actually see the family during the visit remains unanswered. Sources close to the palace suggest the king would welcome a meeting, but that any such encounter would depend on a formal request coming from the Sussexes themselves. Harry last saw his father in September 2025, when he traveled to London for the annual WellChild Awards — a cause he has long championed — and afterward shared a private tea with Charles at Clarence House lasting approximately 55 minutes.

Insiders say Harry has been eager for his children to experience the country where he grew up and to meet extended family members they have barely, if ever, seen. For a father who has publicly spoken about his longing to reconnect his children with their heritage, the trip carries deep personal significance.

The relationship between Harry and his older brother, Prince William, appears far more troubled. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has said William “feels deeply betrayed” by Harry and has no current plans to arrange a meeting during the visit. Prince William and Princess Kate remain deeply wounded, sources say, by the allegations Harry and Meghan made after departing royal life — claims that the couple felt abandoned and mistreated by the institution they once served. It is not known whether Harry plans to seek a meeting with William and Kate during the visit, either with or without Meghan present.

The children’s future connection to Britain — and to the family their father left behind — may well hinge on what happens over the course of a single week in July.