King Charles III could offer the Duke and Duchess of Sussex an apartment in Buckingham Palace as their UK residence when they visit the country, it has been reported.
The monarch requested that the couple vacate their previous UK home, Frogmore Cottage, and is understood to have offered the keys to his brother, the disgraced Duke of York.
But reports that he is set to extend an “olive branch” comes after Prince Harry took part in a new interview with author Gabor Maté for readers of his memoir, Spare, on Saturday evening (4 March).
The suite of rooms that the King may offer to Harry and Meghan Markle previously belonged to Prince Andrew.
The Mail on Sunday quoted a source as saying: “His Majesty is furious [with Harry], as is [Prince] William. But the King is not a bad man. He has no wish to see his brother Andrew homeless or penniless. Nor does he wish to deprive the Sussexes of a base in the UK.
“London is a better fit. The Sussexes have always wanted rooms at Buckingham Palace. They could have Andrew’s old rooms there, which are currently being vacated.”
Earlier this year, the King reportedly told Andrew he could no longer use his suite of rooms at the palace.
Sources previously told The Independent that the duke now lives as a “recluse” at the Royal Lodge, his home for the past two decades, but his time there could be coming to an end as well as the King reportedly wishes for him to move into Frogmore Cottage instead.
But Andrew is said to be “resisting” such a move from the 30-room mansion and has not yet accepted the offer.
Although royal experts believe that the King’s decision to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage is linked to the release of the prince’s memoir, sources have said that the couple will still receive an invitation to the coronation in May.
The Mail on Sunday reports that the King and Queen Consort are “furious” and “wearied” by revelations in Harry’s best-selling book. Within its pages, Harry alleged his brother William once physically attacked him and pushed him to the floor, and accused Camilla of “leaking” stories to the press.
The Independent has contacted the palace for comment.
During his most recent interview, Harry opened up about how the lack of physical affection throughout his childhood has affected the way he parents his two children, Archie and Lilibet, today.
After Maté pointed to a section in Spare in which the prince wrote about the lack of hugs he received from members of the royal family, Harry said: “It leaves me in the position now, as a father of two kids of my own, to make sure that I smother them with love and affection.”
He added: “I, as a father, feel a huge responsibility that I don’t pass on any traumas or any, I guess, negative experiences that I’ve had as a kid or as a man growing up and that’s work.
“That’s putting in the work and that’s daily being cautious of my behaviour and my reactions to both of my kids.”
Harry also reflected on his marriage to Meghan and praised her for helping him at a time when he felt “stuck”.
“People have said my wife saved me,” he told Maté. “I was stuck in this world, and she was from a different world and helped draw me out of that.”
