Uganda Withdraws from Invictus Games Out of Respect for King Charles, Military Chief Says

2:06 PM ETDeveloping

World Desk

In Short: Uganda has pulled out of the Invictus Games, citing respect for King Charles III, just two months after announcing its participation.

Uganda has withdrawn from the Invictus Games, a sports event for wounded military veterans organized by Prince Harry, due to tensions over the royal family's stance on the Sussexes, according to reports. The decision was announced by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of defence and son of the Ugandan president, on the social media platform X.

In a statement to the BBC, Prince Harry confirmed the withdrawal, stating, "The decision to withdraw from the games was 'in order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III.'" However, royal sources have indicated that King Charles encourages all projects supporting wounded service personnel.

The withdrawal comes as a surprise, as Uganda had been set to become the 26th country to participate in the next Invictus Games, which are scheduled to take place in Birmingham next year. The decision was announced just two months after Prince Harry and the Ugandan defence minister, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, stood together to announce Uganda's participation in the event.

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba cited tensions over the "Harry-Meghan nonsense" as the reason for the withdrawal, according to The Guardian. The timing of the announcement suggests it may be a response to an official letter sent on behalf of King Charles, which reiterated that Prince Harry and Meghan are not working royals and would not use their HRH styles.

The withdrawal has been met with surprise, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reportedly taken aback by the letter sent on King Charles's behalf, according to The Indian Express. The letter, issued by the head of the royal household, Richard Benyon, clarified the Sussexes' position after their return to the UK two weeks prior.

The Invictus Games and representatives for the Duke of Sussex have not yet commented on the situation. The decision to withdraw may be an unintended consequence of the official letter, which some believe could have caused division within the Ugandan military and government.

What's still developing

A spokesman for the Invictus Games said they had not received any official information about a potential withdrawal and have been seeking clarification from their contacts in Uganda.
King Charles has reaffirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remain non-working members of the Royal Family and private citizens, even as the Sussexes return to Britain.
The clarification came even as ABC News claimed that the King learned about the couple’s plans to relocate to the UK only days before they were made public, In a letter sent on the King’s behalf by the Lord Chamberlain, Charles reaffirmed that Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the Royal Family and remain private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.

Sources

The Guardianlink