BREAKING NEWS: Prince Harry’s team blames King in furious rant as Uganda withdraws from Invictus Games
Prince Harry takes part in sports at Invictus Games event in July
People close to Prince Harry have blamed a letter sent on behalf of King Charles for Uganda’s withdrawal from the Invictus Games. Uganda has pulled out of the Games, stating that it will not participate in any event without King Charles’s approval.
A source close to Harry told ITV: “Intended or unintended, this is clearly a consequence of the Lord Chamberlain’s guidance regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that was rushed out without consultation on Monday. “Sadly, the only people who will suffer are the Invictus Games competitors,” they added. In the early hours of Wednesday (September 9), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba wrote on X that “Uganda hereby withdraws from the Invictus Games” because he did not want the country’s participation to be “construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere”.
The Sussex team has responded to Uganda withdrawing from Invictus Games (Image: Getty)
In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the invictus games. We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval.
— Muhoozi Kainerugaba (@mkainerugaba) September 9, 2026
“We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval,” General Kainerugaba, the son of the Ugandan president and head of the country’s armed forces, added.
The east African country’s U-turn comes just weeks after its defence minister appeared alongside the Duke of Sussex at an Invictus event in London to announce their entry to the Invictus Games on July 7.
Now, Harry’s office has linked General Kainerugaba’s decision to the letter published by Buckingham Palace on Monday (September 7) regarding the Sussexes’ status following their return to the UK. The letter made it clear that any charitable work by Harry and Meghan is “a personal matter for them and undertaken in their private capacity”.
Uganda only announced its entry to the Invictus Games in July (Image: Getty)
According to ITV News, Uganda’s Government spokesperson, Alan Kasujja, said General Kainerugaba “speaks for the UPDF (Uganda People’s Defence Forces)”.
“There’s no higher authority in the military besides the president [Yoweri Museveni]. Until he changes his position, consider it the position of the military,” he added, but clarified that he did not know why the decision was made and if it was related to the Buckingham Palace letter.
Nevertheless, Harry’s office now believes the decision about Invictus by the Ugandans is directly linked to this week’s developments. It is understood that the Invictus Games Foundation was told the palace letter had created some “confusion” within the Ugandan defence department, according to ITV News’ royal editor, Chris Ship.
There is no suggestion that King Charles does not support the Invictus Games, having attended the inaugural games in 2014 and is said to be very proud of his youngest son’s achievements. A senior royal source noted on Wednesday that the King supports all organisations that support wounded service personnel.
