Prince Harry is reportedly blaming King Charles after a major setback hit the Invictus Games just days after the King issued a letter reaffirming Harry and Meghan Markle’s status as non-working royals.
Uganda has suddenly withdrawn from the 2027 Invictus Games, just two months after becoming the 26th nation to join the community founded by Harry for wounded and injured service personnel.
The decision came shortly after King Charles issued a letter through the Lord Chamberlain reiterating that Harry and Meghan remain private citizens and should not use their HRH styles. The letter also said official organizations should direct questions about royal courtesies involving the couple to Buckingham Palace.
A source close to Harry told PEOPLE that Uganda’s withdrawal was a “direct result” of the guidance in the letter. The source said the situation was an unintended consequence of the Palace communication and that the people who would suffer most were the Ugandan competitors who had planned to participate.
Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said the country would not participate in anything that did not have King Charles’ approval. He later told The Times that he supported the monarch.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Harry and Meghan, who recently returned to the UK with their children after several years in the United States.
The Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham in 2027, and Harry remains involved in preparations for the event.
Neither Harry nor the Invictus Games organizers has publicly commented on the latest development.