Edward Lane Fox, a former private secretary to Prince Harry and a long-standing supporter of the Invictus Games, quietly resigned as a trustee of the charity on Feb. 28, the Daily Mail reported. He left the board on the same day as trustee Patrick Nicoll, and was followed later this year by JJ Chalmers, a Royal Marine reservist and Invictus gold medallist.
An Invictus source told the Daily Mail the trustees "had simply moved on" after serving their maximum terms. The charity's most recent accounts show income rising to £3.8 million in 2024, up from £2.7 million in 2023, with about £1.6 million of that total identified as donations from private benefactors.
The departures rekindle scrutiny of the Sussexes' post-royal philanthropic network. Rob Owen, chief executive of the Invictus Games, told the Daily Mail this week that Harry remains a founder and patron of the charity and that "the spotlight he brings to the community, and to our work, has changed the perceptions of mental health, of military personnel and of disability worldwide."
But reporting in the Daily Mail also cited sources within and around Invictus who said some involved with the charity believe it may be time for Harry to step back, pointing to years of public criticism the duke has levelled at members of the royal family. "It seems it is hard to convince people that you are a philanthropic force for good when there are so many unresolved issues with your own family," one source told the paper, adding that Harry has been perceived in some quarters as a "toxic" personality.
Invictus, launched in 2014, has close military connections and has in the past drawn senior members of the royal family to its events. Members of the royal household, including the then-Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, attended the inaugural Games. The next Invictus Games are scheduled to be held in Birmingham in 2027; a royal source told the Daily Mail that if Harry were to resign as patron, "I'm sure they would have no trouble finding a new royal patron."
The Daily Mail reported that the charity's accounts list a range of corporate and individual supporters, including Netflix, BetterUp and investment firm BlackRock, and said Amazon was among the larger backers. The newspaper said Netflix, which has had commercial arrangements with Harry and Meghan Markle, was thanked in Invictus materials, and it questioned whether donations might continue after the couple's deal with the streamer was reportedly scaled back. The paper also reported that BetterUp, which hired Harry as chief impact officer, has been a donor and that Harry is said to receive about $1 million a year from the company.
Harry and Meghan operate the Archewell Foundation, a grant-making organisation based in California. The Daily Mail noted that earlier this year Harry left Sentebale, another charity he helped found, after a dispute with that organisation's chair, Sophie Chandauka, who told the paper the charity had suffered a drop in donations because of the prince's "toxic brand."
Representatives for Invictus and the Sussexes did not provide additional comment beyond the statements reported by the Daily Mail. The departures of trustees who were once close to Harry have prompted debate among supporters about whether the charity's links to the duke strengthen its fundraising appeal or expose it to the reputational risks associated with his high-profile disagreements with the royal family.
Charities often rely on high-profile patrons to attract major gifts, and Invictus' recent accounts indicate substantial private support. Donor composition and long-term fundraising prospects will likely be watched closely by both supporters and critics as Invictus plans for future Games and charitable activities.