The King gathered several of the Royal Family’s most senior figures for an uncommon private dinner in Scotland last night.
While the details of the conversation remain private, Prince Harry’s already contentious visit to Britain this weekend is likely to have been among the subjects attracting interest.
His Majesty is in Edinburgh for Royal Week, the monarch’s annual visit celebrating Scottish culture, communities and achievements. He and Queen Camilla spent yesterday carrying out a series of engagements in the capital.
It has now emerged that the couple also welcomed three other senior royals to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the King’s official residence in Scotland: the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh.
The group took part in what is known within royal circles as a rare “dine and sleep”, sharing dinner at the palace before staying overnight ahead of this morning’s Order of the Thistle service. The annual ceremony honours Scotland’s ancient order of chivalry and is due to be attended by the King, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Prince Edward.
Prince William, who uses the title Duke of Rothesay while in Scotland, had spent the afternoon in Aberdeen on an engagement linked to Homewards, his initiative aimed at tackling homelessness. He later travelled to Edinburgh to join his father and other family members for the evening.
Princess Anne and Prince Edward had already been with the King earlier in the day at a garden party for local dignitaries and community figures at the Gothic palace, which has been the principal royal residence in Scotland since the 16th century and remains rich in royal and political history.
Such private family occasions are not listed in the Court Circular, the official record of royal duties, but the Mail has received confirmation that the dinner went ahead. Buckingham Palace declined to comment, and whatever was discussed is expected to remain firmly behind palace doors.
The King and Queen arrive at the Order of the Thistle service today, after convening senior royals for a rare family dinner. It comes ahead of Prince Harry’s expected trip to the UK.
The family enjoyed what is known in royal circles as a rare ‘dine and sleep’, having dinner at the palace and staying over ahead of this morning’s Order of the Thistle service.
Prince William – known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland – was at the dinner, alongside Princess Anne and Prince Edward.
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But with the drama surrounding Prince Harry’s potential arrival in the UK this weekend – with or without his family – dominating royal news, and the ongoing issue of disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, there would have been plenty for the family to discuss.
As of yesterday, it is understood that Buckingham Palace still had no acceptance of its offer to house the Duke of Sussex at Buckingham Palace, or another royal residence, for the duration of his trip to the United Kingdom, which is set to last for up to two weeks.
But the fall-out from the trip even before it has begun has already had immense reverberations, with royal insiders weary of the endless drama surrounding the Sussexes.
Harry’s team has already announced a full itinerary for the prince’s trip to selected media, which includes a number of public engagements, and confirmed his intention to bring his wife Meghan and children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, with him for the first time in four years.
He has also very publicly made clear his desire to introduce his children to their grandfather. Lilibet has only met him once as a baby, and Archie a handful of times as a very small child.
His team are also believed to have confirmed plans to take his children to visit the grave of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, at Althorp, the Spencer family estate.
Conversely, Buckingham Palace has refused to discuss the state of family relations, making clear that if any such reunion or meeting were to occur, then it would need to take place privately.
It is understood that they have always made the offer of accommodation available to the prince, despite his repeated public attacks on the institution, as well as family members, but Harry has stayed in hotels or with friends.
The King and Queen last night hosted senior members of the Royal Family to stay at the historic Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch’s official residence in Scotland.
Last weekend, however, Harry’s team issued a series of announcements to media saying the trip was in jeopardy as Harry had just learnt that Ravec, the Home Office committee that regulates royal and diplomatic policing had not considered his request for them to give him round the clock security when in the UK.
Having lost an expensive court action against the Home Office last year for its decision to strip him of his police protection when he quit royal duties and moved to North America, Harry had asked the Home Secretary and the committee to reconsider his risk assessment, saying it was ‘unsafe’ for him to bring his family here.
This provoked puzzlement in royal circles given that there has apparently been no change in his situation, meaning he had officially announced his visit seemingly knowing he would get no greater security provision than normal or necessary.
