Prince Harry has been accused of trying to overshadow Princess Anne with his latest Invictus announcement. Yesterday, the Duke of Sussex said he was "delighted" to announce that the 2029 competition for wounded service personnel will be held in Daejeon, South Korea, just four days after the Royal Family shared news of Princess Anne's trip to the country.
Reactions on social media
One person raged on X: "Of course Prince Harry has known for a while where the next Invictus Games are going, he just HAD to wait until #PrincessAnne was there in South Korea to announce it". Others believed it was a strategic publicity move, claiming he "Never left the Royal Family or the establishment".
First Asian host nation
The Republic of Korea will be the first Asian nation to host the sporting event in October 2029. Next year, Daejeon will receive the Invictus Games flag as part of Birmingham's Closing Ceremony, and it will keep the mantle for two years.
Prince Harry said in a statement on Monday: "As the first Asian nation selected to host the Games, the Republic of Korea represents an exciting new chapter in our journey to ensure that more wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans can benefit from the power of sport and the strength of the Invictus community."
Positive reactions
Despite frustration about the timing, several people were delighted at the news, with one person writing that it will be a "beautiful" event, adding: "I'm so happy for Korea. The awareness it will bring to Asia will be amazing. Let's go!!!!!!"
Princess Anne's visit
It followed high-profile visits by the Princess Royal and Sir Tim Laurence last week. During her time in Busan and Seoul, the Princess met veterans of the Korean War and attended commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Imjin River at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery.
They also toured one of the world’s largest shipbuilders, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, to hear about the industrial cooperation between the UK and the Republic of Korea in the maritime and defence sectors. Her visit has been widely acclaimed. Royal experts said it showed just how much trust King Charles has in Princess Anne.
One royalist gushed: "Excellent work by The Princess Royal in South Korea. Promoting our economic interests, engaging with our cultural partners, and honouring the veterans who served in the Korean War, this is what effective, high-level representation looks like."
