Uganda has withdrawn its participation from Prince Harry's 2027 Invictus Games, with a high-ranking military official citing allegiance to King Charles III. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defense Forces and son of Uganda's president, announced the decision on X, stating that Uganda "hereby withdraws from the invictus games" to avoid being perceived as opposing King Charles III, whom he described as being "deeply revere[d]".
Kainerugaba added that Uganda "shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval." He also told The Times UK that he had dismissed internal support for "that Harry-Meghan nonsense" within the Ministry of Defense, stating, "I support the monarch. Period."
Uganda was set to be the 26th nation to join the Invictus community. The country was announced as a participant at a ceremony in London in July, which Prince Harry attended alongside Ugandan leaders. At the time, Uganda's defense minister, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, praised Prince Harry and emphasized a shared commitment to wounded service members.
The Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry, is an international multi-sport event for wounded, injured, and sick military personnel. The 2027 games are scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England.
This development comes shortly after King Charles III issued a letter clarifying that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are considered "private citizens with commercial and charitable interests" and are not working royals. According to BBC sources, the letter was distributed to Harry's team, the UK government, the military, and lord-lieutenants. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex expressed surprise at not being informed of the letter beforehand. The couple, who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California, have since returned to the UK with their children for an extended period and are reportedly enrolling their children in a UK school and house hunting in the Cotswolds.