Harry attends film premiere with Southbank boss embroiled in anti-Semitism row as duke arrives in UK hours after Charles said he couldn’t stay at Buckingham Palace

Prince Harry spent his first night in England without his family, showing support for Meghan Markle’s close friend Misan Harriman, who has been embroiled in an anti-Semitic controversy.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, had hoped to stay at Buckingham Palace on Monday but it was too late to accept after changing his father’s offer of accommodation hours before arrival.

Harry flew back to England last night from his European holiday with Meghan, Archie and Lilibet before heading to a cinema near Piccadilly Circus.

He was photographed smiling next to his old friend Mr Harriman, the head of the Southbank Centre, who was wearing an Anti-Apartheid Club T-shirt at the premiere of a documentary about his life.

Shoot the People was completed before the filmmaker and photographer, including Lilibet’s only public portrait, was hand-picked by the Sussexes to photograph them since Megxit announced he would quit his Southbank post later this year rather than run for a third term.

Mr Harriman, who made his name through the Black Lives Matter protests, has faced accusations of anti-Semitism over a series of online posts, including claims that the media ignored a Muslim victim of the Golders Green terror attack in April.

He was also accused of comparing Reformation supporters to Nazis. Allegedly, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, who are both Jews, ‘sold the Albanian coastline to Jewish billionaires and [an] ‘Israeli military project’

Mr. Harriman said his remarks were taken out of context and that he was clearly expressing his solidarity with the Jewish community.

Harry’s attendance at the film premiere marks the start of five days of engagement, much of which is linked to next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham.

It will also support other good causes such as Wellchild and Scotty’s Little Soldiers.

However, the trip began with chaos due to an argument over whether he could stay at Buckingham Palace.

A royal insider told the Daily Mail’s Rebecca English that “the King is losing his patience” over his son’s swaying.

After weeks of hesitation and hesitation, and with only hours before his arrival, Harry decided he wanted to stay at Buckingham Palace – but it was too late.

He was apparently notified by royal officials on Saturday night. However, 36 hours later, his own team announced to the world that he would remain there.

The Duke was told that it was taking him too long to accept the King’s invitation.

In response, Harry’s spokesman went nuclear and issued a statement accusing the Palace of withdrawing the offer ‘at the last minute’.

Despite the bitter conflict, Harry wants to see his father and is hopeful that his wife and children can join him in England. Leaving London for Birmingham at the end of this week.

“Harry is still looking forward to seeing Charles,” an insider told the Mail.

Meghan is still expected to attend the Invictus events in Birmingham, with the Games only a year away on Friday.

The Sussexes are holidaying in Europe and it’s not out of the question for Archie and Lilibet to join them and potentially be in and out of the UK within 24 hours.

‘They are working on ways to make this happen safely,’ the source said.

Harry and Meghan, pictured at Invictus in Germany in 2023, still hope to attend ‘senior year’ events in Birmingham later this week

The Duke of Sussex would also love to have Archie and Lilibet in the UK this week – but only if it can be done safely

Harry hoped that his wife and children would accompany him to England for five days.

His visit coincides with the countdown to the Invictus Games in Birmingham in 2027.

As well as visiting King Charles, the trip was to include a poignant stop at Althorp Manor in Northamptonshire, where Harry’s mother Princess Diana is buried.

Archie and Lilibet, Queen Elizabeth II They have not seen their grandfather since their last trip to England in June 2022 for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

As resentment grew on both sides throughout the trip, it is understood the duke initially turned down an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace on Saturday for himself and his family, who were no longer accompanying him to London, before making a U-turn later in the day and demanding to stay himself.

We were told that adequate accommodation and staffing were no longer available.

It was understood that the Duke wanted to stay at the Palace for one night.

On the Sussex side, questions have been raised about whether the offer of a bed in the royal residence will be available after Harry accepts.

Private meetings are said to have taken place between the duke and his father.

A spokesman for the Duke said: ‘I am aware that there have been numerous briefings from Buckingham Palace over the past week that the Duke has not accepted the offer of accommodation at the royal residence.

‘Following RAVEC’s decision not to ensure the safety of his family, the Duke has spent the past week making alternative security arrangements.

‘Once these arrangements were made he was able to formally accept the offer of weekend accommodation for himself.’

The spokesman added: ‘It is therefore disappointing that the proposal has been withdrawn, citing Tuesday’s decision in the Associated Newspapers Limited case.

However, Buckingham Palace has been aware of this decision since last Thursday. So it’s unclear why he backed out at the last minute after formally accepting the offer of accommodation.’

Amid the drama surrounding his son’s visit, King Charles appeared to be having fun as he boarded a British Army Challenger 3 battle tank in Bovington, Dorset, on Monday

The Palace’s decision was said to have been made in consultation with the King and the outcome was communicated to Harry through the appropriate channels.

It is understood Harry and his family will be provided with accommodation at the royal residence for future visits.

Over the weekend, it was announced that Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will no longer be joining Harry in London due to concerns for their safety.

No decision has been made on whether the family will join the Duke for other parts of his UK visit outside the capital.

Harry had also hoped to reunite his children with their grandfather, the King, who is still being treated for cancer, for the first time in four years, but it is unclear whether this will happen.

It is also not yet known for certain whether and when Harry will see his father during his journey. Although it is said that both father and son are willing.

The King has a busy schedule of talks this week, while Harry is appearing for five days in London and Birmingham, including to mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games.

The Duke was awaiting a review by the Risk Management Board (RMB), which is part of the Executive Committee for the Protection of the Royal Family and Public Figures (Ravec) decision-making process on security requirements, but learned on Friday that this had not yet happened.

The Sussexes were not eligible to receive taxpayer-funded protection while in the UK outside their royal residence.

The Duke had criticized his father Charles, the Queen’s stepmother, the brother of the Prince of Wales and the Princess of Wales in his Oprah interview, Netflix documentary, interviews and his autobiography Spare, after leaving the working monarchy six years ago.