Uganda has withdrawn from the Invictus Games, stating it will not participate in any event without King Charles's approval, and Prince Harry's team has blamed a letter sent on behalf of the King for the decision.
People close to Prince Harry have attributed Uganda's withdrawal to a letter issued by Buckingham Palace on Monday (September 7) concerning the Sussexes' status following their return to the UK. The letter clarified that any charitable endeavours undertaken by Harry and Meghan are "a personal matter for them and undertaken in their private capacity."
Source Blames Lord Chamberlain's Guidance
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.
Uganda's Statement and Military Position
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".
"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.
Uganda's Government spokesperson, Alan Kasujja, stated that 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 made clear that he was unaware of why the decision was taken and whether it was related to the Buckingham Palace letter.
Recent Entry and Royal Support
The east African nation's about-face 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. Harry's office has now connected General Kainerugaba's decision to the palace letter.
It is believed that the Invictus Games Foundation was informed that the palace letter had caused some "confusion" within the Ugandan defence department, according to ITV News' royal editor, Chris Ship. There is no implication that King Charles does not back the Invictus Games, having attended the inaugural games in 2014 and is reportedly extremely proud of his youngest son's accomplishments. A high-ranking royal source mentioned on Wednesday that the King supports all organisations that assist wounded service personnel.
