Inside Prince Harry’s $2K-an-Hour Luxe Suite He Chose over Staying with Family While Visiting Ailing Dad

Prince Harry recently flew down to his home country following news of his father’s diagnosis. However, during his visit, he did not stay with the family.

In January 2020, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, publicly announced that they were stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family.

“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the royal couple revealed in a statement on Instagram then.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex further explained that they would be stepping back from performing royal duties and working to become financially independent. They also stated they would continue to support the Queen.

However, their decision to leave the monarchy was met with disapproval from the Royal Family. In the duo’s Netflix docuseries, Prince Harry revealed that he was given five options once he met with his family about a way forward.

One of them was that he and his wife remained senior members, and another option was to leave entirely. “I chose option three in the meeting—half in, half out. Have our jobs, but also work in support of the Queen,” he said.

Still, the Duke of Sussex, who has since moved to America with his wife, soon realized that his proposal to his family would not be up for discussion as he was instantly shut down. He recalled:

“It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me, and my father say things that simply just weren’t true, and my grandmother quietly sit there and take it all in.”

The father of two mentioned that from the family’s perspective, his proposed goal with Meghan would be viewed as an attack on the monarchy as an institution. That said, the meeting ended with no resolution, which led to animosity between Prince Harry and his loved ones.

He and his father and brother became estranged from that point out. In a January 2023 interview, the Duke expressed that he would like to reconcile with the two, saying:

“I would like to get my father back. I would like to get my brother back.”

Prince Harry’s falling out with his family has gained wide public attention. Yet royal expert Omid Scobie revealed the Duke and Duchess’s relationship with King Charles III might not be as strained as people think.

“There is more warmth between Harry and Meghan and Charles than other family members, and that has grown since they’ve left the country,” Scobie divulged in a November 2023 interview.

Recently, Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch had been diagnosed with cancer following his surgery for benign prostate enlargement in January 2024.

In the wake of the news, Prince Harry flew from the US to the UK to see his ailing father. The royal was spotted in the back of a Range Rover that was seen entering Clarence House on February 6, 2024. He reportedly had a “brief meeting” with his parent, approximately 45 minutes.

Per media reports, the Duke did not stay at one of the royal residences during his 24-hour visit to the UK. A source revealed that he “spent the night at a London hotel” instead.

The royal stayed at an exclusive $2,000-an-hour VIP suite in Heathrow before returning to California. The hospitality company, which also congratulated the Duke and Duchess on their wedding day, is reportedly the most exclusive lounge there, often used by other Royal Family members, including Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The lounge features stylish rooms with artwork. The furniture includes luxe armchairs, squishy sofas, a formal dining table, enormous TVs, and private bathrooms.

The suite includes a dedicated security lane for when guests prepare to board, and services include a private BMW that drives the travelers to their plane. First or business-class passengers are expected to fork out well over $3,000 for up to three passengers, one way.

There are 96 staff members in the lounge, which has a private entrance, a location that Heathrow, which has publicly celebrated Queen Elizabeth II, reportedly does not disclose. World leaders and A-list celebrities often stay at the suite when traveling.

The website for the luxurious accommodation states, “Our VIP experience for the discerning traveler is the only way to travel.” Grant Harrold, who worked for the King for seven years when he was the Prince of Wales, said Prince Harry might have opted to stay in Heathrow to show his family that he could “fund himself.”

Harrold divulged that if the Duke had stayed at one of the royal residences, he would have security there. However, seeing he chose to stay at Heathrow, he needed his own security team. Harrold noted it was not a good sign that the royal stayed at a hotel instead of with family, adding that there might be another unknown reason why he chose to go there.

The former royal butler further stated that if Prince Harry and Prince William’s fallout is still ongoing, then it could be that he was not given the option to stay.

He claimed King Charles would have liked to have his son home for a bit longer and that it is possible the prince decided to leave shortly after meeting him to avoid further meetups.

Online users reacted to Prince Harry’s stay at Heathrow on the Daily Mail’s Facebook page. One individual wrote, “To all you haters of Harry FO from a veteran, he served his country, let him live his life how he wants to.”

Another said, “He has his money. If he had not eaten anything, you people were going to say because he was broke.” “After all, his grandmother’s picture is all over the currency,” one person stated.

“Live your life and be happy Harry, and let the broke haters continue to hate,” said one user. Another commented, “You are free to use the same VIP lounge. Just pay for it.”

Following his brief stay in the UK, Prince Harry flew back to Montecito, California, where he lives with Meghan and their kids Archie and Lilibet. This was not the first time the Duke of Sussex had flown in for a short visit to his home country. He did the same in May 2023 when he arrived for his father’s coronation.

Upon returning to California recently, he made a surprise appearance at NFL Honors in Las Vegas to present an award for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year to Cameron Heyward who plays a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Although the Duke did not stay for much longer in his home country, expert Richard Fitzwilliams believes that the fact that he made an effort to go and see his father means there is hope for reconciliation. “The only way for a family to fight cancer is to come together,” he said.