Prince Harry hopes to persuade his father, the King, to appear alongside him at the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, sources have revealed. The Duke of Sussex is planning a major reconciliation gesture as the Games return to the UK for the first time since their launch in 2014. The monarch could join Harry at major events, or at one of the opening or closing ceremonies.
Family reunion at Highgrove
Harry has been encouraged by his meeting with the King earlier this month at Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, which Meghan and their children, Archie and Lilibet, also attended, along with the Queen. The gathering came at the end of a stressful week for the duke and was the first family reunion in four years.
Harry, 41, had recently visited the UK for the one-year countdown celebration at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. During that trip, he was forced to find alternative accommodation after saying he would stay at a royal residence, only for Buckingham Palace to say he had not responded to the invitation in time.
Legal defeat and security row
Harry also suffered a complete dismissal in his legal battle against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail Online, when all 97 claims made by him and six co-claimants were rejected. Since quitting royal duties in 2020, the duke has lived permanently in California. He had planned for his family to join him for the entire UK visit, but had to change those plans when he was told he would not receive taxpayer-funded security.
Meghan, who was due to appear on stage with Harry, pulled out of travelling to London and attending public engagements. However, she and the children eventually reunited with Harry later in the week, after he managed to arrange a meeting with the King. Sources say Harry wants to organise further meetings so the monarch can spend time with his grandchildren, whom he has hardly seen since the couple moved to America.
“Harry’s intention is two fold. He would love the King’s support at the Games, while having his father by his side would also add considerable weight to his argument for security for his family to accompany him on the trip,” one insider said.
Return to Buckingham Palace
Harry is due back in London in September for the annual WellChild Awards, a charity he has supported for 15 years. It is understood he will accept an offer from his father to stay at Buckingham Palace on that visit, marking a striking turnaround from his last time in the UK. The Mirror reported earlier this month that Harry will continue his controversial campaign for taxpayer-funded security, paving the way for future family visits.
A dual purpose
Sources close to the duke say his desire to have his father at the Birmingham Games serves two purposes. “Next year is a big deal for Harry. He is determined that the Birmingham Games will be the best ever and it would mean the world to him to have his father there,” another source said. A further royal source suggested the King “would welcome the opportunity to see his grandchildren again”.
Court costs hearing
Harry’s case against the Daily Mail returned to court on Wednesday, when a trial judge was asked to decide whether he and other claimants must pay millions toward the failed legal action. The seven claimants, including Baroness Doreen Lawrence, mother of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, and Sir Elton John, had sued Associated Newspapers Limited over alleged unlawful information-gathering, which the publisher strongly denied. In July, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed the claims completely in a 436-page judgment following an 11-week trial. The court heard there was a shortfall between the claimants’ insurance and ANL’s costs, which exceed £34 million. After the trial, Harry and Baroness Lawrence called the case “an obvious whitewash”.
Invictus Games expand to Asia
Harry has returned to California and continues planning for the 2027 Games. He originally launched the global event in London in 2014, with the competition aiming to challenge “perceptions of disability, champion adaptive sport, and demonstrate the resilience, determination and unconquered spirit of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans”. It has since been held in Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague, Düsseldorf and Vancouver-Whistler, which hosted the inaugural winter edition in 2025.
In early July, Harry attended the One Year To Go ceremony in Birmingham, where he competed in sports with former Labour minister Al Carns and TV personality Alison Hammond. Following that visit, he revealed the 2029 Games will be held in Daejeon, South Korea, marking the first time the event will take place in Asia. Harry said he was “delighted” for the city. The event will run from October 6-15, 2029, around the Daejeon Convention Centre, bringing together 550 competitors from 26 nations, supported by 1,100 family members and friends in 12 sports.
