Prince Harry is preparing for his longest solo trip to Britain in years, but the Duke of Sussex remains locked in a dispute with the U.K. government over security provisions that he says prevent him from bringing his wife Meghan Markle and their two young children.
Harry, 40, is scheduled to arrive in London on Monday for a four-day visit that will include charity events and private meetings. The trip coincides with the third anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death. "He wants to be able to show his children where he grew up. He wants them to know their family here," a friend of the Duke told RadarOnline.com.
The prince has not given up hope of bringing Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, back to the U.K. "The U.K. is my home," Harry told the High Court in December 2023. "The U.K. is central to the heritage of my children. That cannot happen if it's not possible to keep them safe."
Harry's legal battle with the Home Office ended earlier this year after a court ruled against restoring his taxpayer-funded security detail. He has argued that without such protection it is unsafe for Meghan or the children to travel. Meghan has not visited the U.K. since the Queen's funeral in September 2022, and Archie and Lilibet last came in June of that year for the Platinum Jubilee.
HELLO!'s royal editor Emily Nash noted, "Prince Harry has made no secret of the fact that he wants to bring his family to the U.K. and for them to get to know his home country, which is why he pursued legal action over his security situation. He may have lost that case, but he is clearly still hoping to find a way to bring Archie and Lilibet back in future."
This week's program will see Harry return to the WellChild Awards in London, where he will deliver a speech and present the Award for Inspirational Child. He is also expected to travel outside the capital for events addressing youth violence, and to hold meetings with charities such as the Diana Award, the Invictus Foundation and Scotty's Little Soldiers.
Despite the heavy schedule, the unresolved question remains whether he will meet King Charles. The monarch has not seen his younger son since February 2024, when the two held a brief meeting after Charles announced his cancer diagnosis. Sources told RadarOnline.com that "no direct communication at all at the moment" exists between father and son, although Harry's allies say he remains open to reconciliation.
A reunion with Prince William is not expected. Royal insiders said Harry has not been offered accommodation at a royal palace during his stay and that "the ball is now in the Royal Family's court" if Charles wishes to extend an invitation.
