Prince Harry has reportedly secured Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos's backing for the 2027 Invictus Games, with a deal that could see £20 million invested in the veterans charity. The reported agreement comes after Boeing confirmed it would not sponsor the upcoming event, having supported previous competitions since 2018.
Reported lifeline for Invictus
The Duke of Sussex has been spotted mingling with the Amazon tycoon, and sources suggest the apparent agreement with Amazon could be a lifeline for Invictus after a series of controversies. "The deal would be a shot in the arm for Invictus and Harry," an insider told The Sun. "The Invictus committee are really hoping it gets over the line. Amazon wanted to get involved."
"They already do a lot to back veterans, including employment programmes. The games are a big undertaking and expensive. And it's interesting Amazon are Netflix's big rival." Sources have suggested that Bezos' alleged investment plan comes with the anticipation that Meghan will be in attendance at the 2027 Games.
Harry and Bezos's connection
Harry was first publicly linked with Bezos back in 2024 when he and Bezos' wife Lauren Sánchez both received honours at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills. The duke was awarded for his time as an Apache helicopter pilot while in the military, and Sánchez for her work as founder of Black Ops Aviation, an aerial filming company.
The prince and Amazon mogul have likely rubbed shoulders at glitzy events since, with mutual friends including Oprah Winfrey and Kris Jenner. It's even been claimed that Kris has been a huge driving force behind Amazon's reported backing of Invictus games, with a source telling British-American journalist Rob Shuter that Kris is close with The Bezos' and therefore helped secure the alleged deal.
Meghan's links and wedding absence
They said: "Kris didn't just know both sides - she had their trust. Meghan needed help. Kris had Lauren's ear, and Lauren had Jeff's. One conversation led to another, and suddenly Amazon was at the table." But Meghan already has links to the streaming giant herself. Amazon MGM is producing Close Personal Friends, a film Meghan has a cameo in for her return to acting.
When Bezos and Sánchez tied the knot in a multi-day extravagant wedding in Venice, it was compared to a royal wedding with a star-studded guestlist. But Meghan and Harry were notably absent. Many jumped to the conclusion the pair had been "snubbed", but a source rubbished the claim, saying: "there were feelers from the Bezos wedding team about an invite, but it was made gently clear [Harry and Meghan] would decline".
"Lauren would've killed for Meghan to show up and sprinkle some royal sparkle on Venice's canals," the insider said, according to The Independent. Just a few months later, Harry and Meghan attended Kris Jenner's 70th birthday party at the Bezos' $165 million Beverly Hills mega-mansion. The Sussexes were snapped at the party and uploaded to Kim and Kris' Instagram page, only for the photos to be quickly deleted.
Challenges and official response
In an interview, Kim Kardashian later revealed that "after it was posted, I think they realised it was Remembrance Day, and they didn't want to be seen at a party, even though it's already up, you know, and then taken down". The King's youngest son founded the international sports event for wounded, injured and sick military service personnel in 2014, and remains heavily involved with the charity.
However, a source told the Daily Mail last September that Harry's 'increasingly divisive' image within the military community was causing tension with the charity's goals. "The duke has become an increasingly divisive figure, particularly in the Armed Forces. And that is not good for Invictus," they said. "We are all about bringing people together and inspiring those who have suffered hardship. Now, Invictus is firmly established, it might be better if the duke took a step back."
Earlier this month Uganda's military chief announced the country would be pulling out of the 2027 Invictus Games, saying it will "not participate in anything" that does not have the King's "approval" and blaming the "Harry and Meghan nonsense". The chief was making reference to Harry's briefing battle with his father after a statement released on behalf of the King made it clear that the Sussexes are still 'private citizens' - a term that Harry does not agree with. The King then stepped in to smooth things over with Uganda's army boss and urged the country to still take part in the event, which they eventually agreed to.
In response to the Bezos claims, an Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 spokesperson said: "Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 is excited about the partnerships taking shape as we build towards the Games next year. We've already announced some great partners and look forward to welcoming more who share our ambition for the Games in the months ahead. Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 has the funding required to deliver the Games. We are supported through a combination of UK Government underwriting, commercial partnerships, charitable support and in-kind contributions and will continue to secure additional income as we move towards the Games."
