Prince Harry has been in the midst of a long-standing legal battle concerning his security when he visits his home country. Indeed, when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals in 2020, Prince Harry lost his government-funded protection.
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Since then, the Duke of Sussex has rarely come home, claiming he doesn’t feel safe without police protection, which is also the reason he doesn’t bring Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Prince Harry is in the UK to appeal the court’s decision concerning his security. Harry reportedly arrived in the country on Sunday, April 6, but the two-day hearing didn’t start until Tuesday, April 8.
At the same time, Prince Harry missed an important event of a long-time friend, despite being invited and being in the UK.
Prince Harry was invited to Lord Vivian’s wedding
Over the weekend, Prince Harry’s ‘band of brothers’ friend Lord Charles Vivian married Saweda Kamara, a US compliance director, in Chelsea. Speaking to Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, Lord Vivian revealed that the Duke of Sussex was invited to his wedding but didn’t attend.
The newlywed explained he didn’t know why his long-time friend didn’t attend, he simply said:
I don't know. He has a lot on.
Lord Vivian was invited to Prince Harry’s wedding and was included in the iconic photo taken at Windsor Castle on the night of his wedding. The group of friends is called the ‘band of brothers.’
Moreover, his absence from Lord Vivian’s wedding is surprising as he played a major role in his first wedding to Elizabeth Wimpress. Prince Harry was an usher.
This isn’t the first time Prince Harry has missed his friends' weddings. Indeed, he didn’t attend Jack Mann's nuptials in Suffolk in 2023, and in 2024 he turned down the invitation to Hugh Grosvenor, who is Prince Archie’s godfather.
Prince Harry allegedly missed the wedding for security reasons
Prince Harry has not commented on why he missed his friend’s wedding. However, it has been suggested by sources that he didn’t attend due to security reasons.
An unnamed source close to Prince Harry told People that the Duke missed the event as he wasn’t provided security whilst in the UK. This makes moving around the country and attending major events difficult for the father-of-two.
Similarly, it was believed that security reasons were the cause of Prince Harry missing Hugh Grosvenor’s wedding in 2024. However, sources claimed the two men came to ‘an understanding’ between themselves. Per sources, it was mutually agreed that the Duke of Sussex would not attend the event. Other members of the Royal Family were invited; Prince William served as an usher for the wedding, and Princess Eugenie was a guest.
Read more:
Prince Harry and Meghan’s wreath at Prince Philip’s funeral caused major backlash
Prince Harry and Meghan share rare photo of Archie and Lilibet in annual Christmas card
Sources used:
Daily Mail: ‘RICHARD EDEN: Prince Harry's skipped the wedding of one of his 'band of brothers' - despite being invited. When I asked the groom why, his reply was so telling…’
People: ‘The Real Reason Why Prince Harry Missed His Friend's Wedding Despite His Visit Back to the U.K.’
