Print
Close
Prince Harry's UK plans could send powerful message to King Charles and Prince William: experts
By Stephanie Nolasco, Ashley Papa
Published June 26, 2026
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle land in the U.K. next month, they may stay at Princess Diana's ancestral home.
The trip would mark the first time in four years that the Duke of Sussex, who lives in California, has returned to his home country with his wife and their two children. The Sussexes are expected to travel to Britain for celebrations marking the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, according to the BBC.
Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell, which represents the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment.
Prince Harry (pictured here), Meghan Markle and their two young children may consider staying at Princess Diana's ancestral home when they travel to the U.K. in July 2026, several royal experts told Fox News Digital. (Carl Court/Getty Images)
The timing has put Althorp House in the spotlight. The estate, about an hour from Birmingham, is scheduled to close to visitors on July 10 and 11 — the same dates Harry and Meghan are expected to be in the U.K., People reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to an Althorp spokesperson for comment. An Archewell spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, for security reasons, the organization would not comment on the couple's accommodations.
Prince Harry is expected to return to the U.K. in July with his family. However, royal watchers say a reconciliation with his estranged brother, Prince William, remains unlikely amid their ongoing rift. (Emilio Morenatti - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
For Harry, Althorp represents both a connection to his mother's legacy and one of the few private places tied to her memory.
WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM UNLIKELY TO RECONCILE WITH PRINCE HARRY SOON: EXPERT
"Harry can engage with his mother's story on his own terms, without the royal household's protocol," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.
"Althorp offers privacy, seclusion and a direct connection to his mother's memory, something Buckingham Palace, as a working royal landmark with a huge office complex, cannot provide," she said.
A young Prince Harry is seen here with his mother, Princess Diana. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
"It's also exactly the comfy luxury Meghan prefers and a place Harry feels closest to his mum. The Sussexes can call the shots. Harry has spoken often about wanting Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to know Diana's story."
The last time Meghan Markle officially visited Prince Harry's home country was in September 2022, when they were in Britain for charity events. Their trip changed dramatically after Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, and they remained in the UK to join the royal family for the late queen's funeral. (Chris Jackson/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Althorp is where Diana is buried, away from the glaring media spotlight. The family's visit would come shortly after the late Princess of Wales' July 1 birthday. It would also mark a significant visit for Lilibet, 5, whose middle name honors her grandmother.
An aerial view shows the burial site of Diana, Princess of Wales, at the Althorp Estate in Althorp, United Kingdom. (David Goddard/Getty Images)
Chard also said the property would offer refuge for the Sussexes, who "guard the children's privacy tightly, well on their terms."
People previously reported that King Charles had offered the Sussexes accommodations on a royal estate. However, there has been no public response to the offer. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. The outlet also reported that the monarch previously offered Harry accommodations at Buckingham Palace, which he declined.
King Charles III reacts as he attends Day 4 of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England, on June 19, 2026. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)
"Staying at Althorp instead of a royal property would definitely send a message that Harry is prioritizing a connection to Diana and his family's privacy over institutional alignment right now," royal commentator Amanda Matta told Fox News Digital.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
King Charles III and members of the British royal family watch a Royal Air Force plane perform a flypast over Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour in London on June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
"Buckingham Palace has been undergoing extensive renovations, and although it remains the official London residence of Harry's father, the king, it has largely fallen out of use since Charles' accession. He prefers to stay at Clarence House or Highgrove. Even Prince William has signaled that Buckingham Palace won't be his primary residence as king."
Matta said Althorp is just "one of several alternatives for the Sussex family's U.K. stay."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in California with their two young children. (Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images)
"It is the perfect setting for Archie and Lilibet to learn about 'Granny Diana' since her story is physically embedded there," Matta said. "It also allows for a private introduction to that side of the family without the pressure of official royal protocol and the need to navigate frosty Spencer-Windsor relations."
Princess Diana was born on July 1, 1961. (Julian Parker/UK Press)
Matta said staying at Althorp would make it unlikely for the Sussexes to have a "casual run-in" with any member of the royal family.
"The schedules of the senior royals are highly managed, and if they don't want to bump into Harry and Meghan, they won't," Matta said. "Since it's summer, they'll also have the ready-made excuse of the busy social season or private family holidays."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. (Joshua Sammer/Getty Images)
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that staying at Althorp could also work in the king's favor.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Visitors are seen here at Althorp House, Princess Diana's ancestral home. (David Levenson/Getty Images)
"It would be far better for them to stay at Althorp than at Buckingham Palace," she said. "Althorp would be preferred because any question of taxpayer funding is removed. The king can save face. The Sussexes would also be well away from Prince William, who is said to want nothing to do with them."
Harry, 41, has previously stayed at Althorp, which is owned by his uncle, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, during visits to the U.K.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, stands with his aunt Lady Jane Fellowes and uncle Earl Spencer during the unveiling of a statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace in London on July 1, 2021. (Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images)
If Harry and his family stay at a royal residence, there would be no automatic security provisions, which are determined by the Home Office, People reported.
The couple lost their taxpayer-funded police protection when they stepped back as senior working royals in 2020. Harry has challenged that decision in court, citing safety concerns for his wife and children, the outlet reported.
Earl Spencer meets members of the Rock Choir at Althorp House in Northamptonshire as they announce support for The Diana Award's special fundraising project during the charity's 25th anniversary on Sept. 20, 2024. (Jordan Pettitt/PA Images)
The outlet also reported that no plans for a reunion between the king and his son have been confirmed. The pair met during previous visits when Harry traveled to the U.K. alone.
Father and son were last reunited in September 2025 at the king's London residence, where they met privately for 55 minutes. It was their first in-person meeting in 19 months. At the time, Harry was in the U.K. for the WellChild Awards and Invictus-related events.
King Charles III arrives at Clarence House in London on Sept. 10, 2025, and has a private tea with his son, Prince Harry. (Belinda Jiao/Getty Images)
"To me, this trip feels more like a personal pilgrimage focused on building family ties than a strategic move toward 'peace talks,'" Matta said. "That would be especially true if the Sussexes stay at Althorp. That wouldn't prevent them from seeing Charles during their stay in Britain. It would simply take more planning to do so while staying off royal property."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla wave to crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour in London on June 13, 2026. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
Still, Chard said there may be more to the visit than simply reconnecting with Harry's roots.
"Princess Diana, Invictus and the 'next chapter' are rich documentary material," she said. "The 2027 anniversary of Diana's death, alongside the Birmingham Invictus Games, creates a natural timeline. Whether it becomes a sequel project depends on how much access the Sussexes want to give versus how much privacy they want for the children. The first photos of the children at Diana's grave would be media gold, and Netflix knows it."
Prince Harry and King Charles III walk behind the coffin during the procession for Queen Elizabeth II's lying-in-state in London on Sept. 14, 2022. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)
Dan Wakeford, founder of Celebrity Intelligence, previously told Fox News Digital that while some within the House of Windsor fear private conversations could be leaked to the press, Harry may have already learned his lesson.
Prince Harry (left) and Prince William (right) attend the unveiling of a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace, London on July 1, 2021, which would have been her 60th birthday. Royal experts told Fox News Digital the last time the brothers spoke was in 2022 during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. (Dominic Lipinski/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
"Harry hasn't publicly said he's sorry about what he said to William," he explained. "But he does, from my sources, regret some of the things that he said in the [Netflix] documentary and in the book ['Spare'] about William and his father. There are no plans to continue any projects, whether that's with Netflix and books, that would talk about his family in similar ways."
Prince William, Prince of Wales, arrives at The Diana Award event at SXSW London on June 3, 2026, in London, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
While Harry’s desire to reconnect with his late mother's memory is genuine, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital he wouldn't be surprised if the Sussexes also benefit from the enduring "Diana effect" as they seek to rebuild their image in Britain.
"How the Sussexes handle this visit, if it occurs, will be pivotal in assessing their intentions," he said. "They haven’t succeeded in Hollywood, but they intend to turn the huge interest of the world’s media in their visit to their advantage. The link with Diana may be pivotal to their strategy in challenging the abysmally low popularity ratings in the U.K."
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/prince-harrys-uk-plans-could-send-powerful-message-king-charles-prince-william-experts