Former BBC royal reporter Michael Cole has claimed that Prince Harry's "extreme fears" led him to "reject" the King's offer to stay in a royal residence.
Reports suggest the Duke of Sussex turned down an invitation from his father to stay at a royal residence earlier this month because of security concerns.
King Charles's offer did not come with any taxpayer-funded personal security provision, which is a cause of concern for the duke, The Telegraph reported.
Speaking to GB News, Cole said: "I hesitate to use the word paranoia because it has a precise clinical meaning, but Prince Harry seems to be entertaining extreme fears about the safety of himself and his family.
Prince Harry allegedly rejected the accommodation
Reuters"Now, maybe that is to do with the fact that, very unwisely, he disclosed in his memoir, Spare, that he had personally killed 25 Taliban, which painted a target on his back.
"In 2020 when he and Meghan departed hurriedly to Canada with the baby Prince Archie strapped to her chest. Was that to do with his sense of insecurity?
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"Now that has manifested itself by saying that he won't stay in a royal residence in London, protected by Scotland Yard's specialist operation Company Command and that he preferred to stay in a hotel, which we understand was in Mayfair.
"That is an extraordinary thing because if he'd stayed in Saint James's Palace, which would have been quite possible, he would have been right next door to Clarence House, where the King and Queen Camilla live.
"It would be almost as easy as slipping through a back passage to see them. And maybe he could have had a meeting with his father, which he said he wanted. It's all very strange."
Cole added that he "doesn't know what is going through Harry's mind" and noted "perhaps it's something to do with the terrible and appalling death of his mother in Paris all those years ago."
It has not been revealed where the King offered Harry a room
GB News
It has not been revealed where the King offered Harry a room, however, St James's Palace is a strong possibility.
All royal residences feature armed guards at entry and exit points, unlike any London hotel, and boast the most sophisticated security systems in the country to protect working members of the family.
Buckingham Palace has not commented on the reported row between Prince Harry and his father.
A spokesman for the duke chose to issue a statement when he came to London at the beginning of May for a service to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
Harry has "extreme fears" over security
GB News
It strongly suggested that Harry was keen to meet his father, but the King was "too busy" to see him.
Prince Harry spent three nights in London without seeing any family members before flying to Nigeria for a quasi-royal tour.
GB News has approached Buckingham Palace and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's UK spokesperson for comment.