Harry and Meghan Blame King’s Letter as Uganda Pulls Out of Invictus Games

Uganda’s sudden withdrawal from the 2027 Invictus Games has sparked a fresh royal controversy, with a source close to Prince Harry claiming the decision is a direct consequence of King Charles’ recent clarification of the Sussexes’ status.

The announcement came less than 48 hours after Buckingham Palace made clear that Harry and Meghan are not returning as working royals, despite their recent return to Britain.

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, announced that Uganda would no longer participate in the Games because it did not want to be seen as acting against King Charles III.

The decision is a major reversal for Uganda, which had only recently become the 26th nation to join the Invictus community and had confirmed plans to make its debut at the Birmingham Games in 2027.

‘Clearly a consequence’ of King’s letter

A source close to Harry told ITV News that the timing of Uganda’s withdrawal was directly linked to the guidance issued by the Lord Chamberlain regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

“Intended or unintended, this is clearly a consequence of the Lord Chamberlain’s guidance regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” the source said, describing the communication as having been released without consultation on Monday.

The source added that the fallout would ultimately affect the competitors who were due to take part in the Games.

“Sadly, the only people who will suffer are the Invictus Games competitors.”

The comments came after Harry and Meghan were reportedly surprised by the way the King’s position was communicated.

According to reports, the couple believed they had not been properly consulted before the letter was made public. Harry was said to have been informed shortly after it was released.

However, palace sources cited by the Daily Mail disputed that account, claiming the Sussexes had been made aware of the letter before its publication. Other reports said the couple were particularly surprised by the timing and wording of the announcement.

Uganda’s military chief backs the King

General Kainerugaba was blunt about his position.

Speaking about Uganda’s decision, he said the country would not take part in an initiative that lacked King Charles’ approval and declared his support for the monarch.

He also criticised factions within Uganda’s Ministry of Defence that supported what he referred to as the “Harry-Meghan nonsense”.

“I support the monarch. Period,” he told The Times.

The comments underline the significance of Uganda’s decision, particularly because the country had appeared enthusiastic about joining the Invictus community only weeks earlier.

The Invictus Games Foundation officially announced Uganda as its 26th member, describing it as the second African nation to join the movement. Uganda had also confirmed that its team would compete at Birmingham 2027.

A dramatic reversal

The reversal is striking because Uganda’s participation had recently been celebrated publicly.

Defence Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka had praised General Kainerugaba for championing Uganda’s entry into the Games during an event at Chatham House in central London.

Prince Harry was also seen alongside Uganda’s defence minister as the country’s participation was being promoted.

At the time, Uganda described its involvement as an opportunity to strengthen support for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans through sport and rehabilitation. The country had said it was proud to join the international Invictus community and looked forward to competing in Birmingham.

That position has now dramatically changed.

What happens next for the Invictus Games?

The 2027 Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham from July 10 to July 17, 2027.

The event will be the eighth edition of the Games, which Harry founded in 2014 to support wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans through adaptive sport and recovery.

Uganda’s withdrawal comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Harry.

The Games remain one of his most prominent public projects, while he and Meghan are also attempting to establish a new role for themselves in Britain following their return to the UK.

The couple stepped back from official royal duties in 2020. King Charles has now formally reiterated that they will not resume working royal roles, meaning any future charitable or public-facing activities will be undertaken in a private capacity.

The Invictus Games Foundation has not publicly endorsed the political reasoning behind Uganda’s withdrawal. The development instead leaves questions over what prompted the abrupt reversal from a country that had only recently celebrated becoming part of the Invictus movement.

For now, the controversy places Harry’s signature veterans’ event at the centre of an increasingly complicated dispute over the Sussexes’ position outside the working Royal Family.