King Charles Rescues Prince Harry’s Invictus Games From Crisis - Newsweek

Uganda has reversed its earlier decision to withdraw from Prince Harry's Invictus Games tournament for veterans after an intervention by King Charles III's most senior aide, the Ugandan army said.

The east African nation joined Harry's tournament in July but withdrew last week before having a chance to compete in the 2027 games in Birmingham, England. The head of Uganda's armed forces announced the decision, saying the country did not want to risk compromising its relationship with King Charles III.

The Ugandan government confirmed Monday that Sir Clive Alderton, Charles' most senior aide, had been in touch to confirm the king "has no problem" with the Invictus Games.

Colonel Chris Magezi, Uganda's acting director defence public information, wrote on X: "The decision follows a telephone conversation between General Kainerugaba and the Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen of the United Kingdom, the Right Honourable Sir Clive Alderton K.C.V.O.

"In the discussion, Sir Alderton revealed that King Charles III was moved by General Kainerugaba’s sensitive consideration of the King’s opinion on the upcoming Invictus Games organized by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. Sir Alderton said King Charles III has no problem with Uganda’s participation in the Invictus Games, and encouraged the CDF to proceed with preparations for UPDF’s participation in the games."

Uganda's withdrawal from the games appeared to take the Sussex and Invictus teams by surprise, with some inside Harry's camp believing it was a direct consequence of a letter sent on King Charles III's behalf last week confirming the Sussexes were "private citizens," not "working royals."

Magezi confirmed it stemmed from the letter, while Alderton showed Buckingham Palace was willing to intervene on Harry's behalf. At the same time, the saga shows how easily tensions between the two camps can flare up again.

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the head of the armed forces and the son of Uganda's president, announced the withdrawal on September 9 in a post on X. Magezi said Uganda reversed its decision after a phone call between Kainerugaba and Alderton and returned to preparing for the games.

"In the telephone conversation," he said, "General Kainerugaba appreciated the King’s message and clarity provided by Buckingham Palace on the subject, promising that the UPDF would resume preparations to participate in the upcoming games.

"The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event founded by Prince Harry in 2014 for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans.

"Uganda joined the Games this year as the 26th member nation, but the CDF had withdrawn UPDF participation in the upcoming games to preserve Uganda’s close relationship with the British Monarchy after Buckingham Palace had earlier issued a statement indicating that the Invictus Games were a private charity organization."

Newsweek has confirmed Magezi's account of the call was accurate.

Alderton is not only a key figure in Charles' household but also a courtier with whom Harry has had tension before. He was nicknamed "The Wasp" in Harry's book Spare. The prince wrote: “Without warning, he’d give you such a stab with his outsized stinger that you’d cry out in confusion.”

Alderton announced he is leaving the household next year, making him the last of the top aides who were in post when Harry first negotiated his royal exit in 2020.

Other points of conflict between them have included the fact that Alderton sits on RAVEC, the Home Office committee that decides who gets police protection.

Harry is trying to get his police bodyguards back, and Newsweek has been told before that some in the Sussex camp believe Alderton could secure the officers' return. Palace insiders vehemently deny this, saying that, constitutionally, the king and his aides cannot intervene to force a particular decision by the RAVEC chair.

Kainerugaba announced the surprise decision to quit the games on Wednesday through his X account, posting: "In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the invictus games."

Kainerugaba previously quit X before returning to the platform in 2025, saying he would "shake up the world," the BBC reported.

Newsweek was told at the time that some in the Sussex camp blamed the king's letter for Uganda's decision. Newsweek was also told that the king supports all organizations that support Britain's veteran community, including Invictus.

The letter, written by the Lord Chamberlain, Richard Benyon, read: "It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of The Sovereign, and are no longer working Members of The Royal Family.

"This position, distinct from the State and Royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected.

"It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used. The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests."

On the one hand, Magezi's account of Uganda's reason for pulling out of the games supports the feeling in the Sussex camp last week that the king's letter caused it.

On the other hand, Newsweek was told at the time that the letter conveyed the palace's willingness to answer questions and clear up any confusion over the couple's status. Alderton's call did just that, addressing Kainerugaba's inaccurate interpretation that Charles did not support Invictus.

The saga prompted the Sussex camp to reveal some frustration with the palace and Benyon's letter, but it also gave the palace an opportunity to show it was willing to help Harry in the interests of supporting veterans.

Whether that is enough to offset Harry's past concerns about Alderton and Charles' staff remains to be seen.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Daniel Orton and Sam Wilson.