Harry and Meghan 'to be snubbed by Dutch royal family' during Invictus Games visit

13 April 2022, 20:36

Harry and Meghan will be in the Netherlands later this week. Inset: King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima
Harry and Meghan will be in the Netherlands later this week. Inset: King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Picture: Alamy

By Patrick Grafton-Green

Harry and Meghan will not be received by the Dutch royal family when they visit the Netherlands later this month, it is reported.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be in the country for the Invictus Games, which is taking place from April 16 after being delayed by the pandemic.

Traditionally, the Dutch royal family hosts foreign royals however the couple will reportedly not get an audience with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima during their stay.

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They will instead have to spend the night at a hotel in The Hague, MailOnline reported.

It is not clear what Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements will be, with the website adding they couple be handed 'VIP status' by Dutch police.

Meghan's attendance, for the first few days, was confirmed by a spokesperson for the couple on Monday.

It will be her first trip to Europe since the couple quit as senior working royals more than two years ago.

The trip comes after Harry was absent from the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service in London last month.

Royals arrive for Prince Philip's memorial service

The duke is bringing a claim against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the same degree of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself.

He wants to bring his children to visit, but he and his family are "unable to return to his home" because it is too dangerous, his legal representative has said.

A spokesperson for Harry confirmed earlier in March that he would miss the service for his grandfather, but that he hoped to visit the Queen soon.

Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection at Scotland Yard, said the idea that Harry is unable to come to the UK due to safety concerns is "sheer unadulterated nonsense", adding that the duke is "not an expert in security".

It is not known whether Harry will visit the UK and see his grandmother while he is on this side of the Atlantic for the Invictus Games.

Harry founded the games to aid the rehabilitation of injured or sick military personnel and veterans from across the globe, by giving them the challenge of competing in sporting events similar to the Paralympics.

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