Fears over Prince Harry’s Invictus Games future as veterans say it ‘lost meaning’ – but he won’t give up

Concerns have been raised over Prince Harry’s future with the Invictus Games after he was warned by veterans that his decision to involve Meghan Markle means the multi-sport event has “lost its original meaning”.

The Duke of Sussex founded the sporting event in 2014 to help support wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. The Games have been very successful and next week, he will travel to London to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

In recent years, Harry’s wife Meghan has become involved in the Games and has been by his side to witness the success of the event. She also made a passionate speech at last year’s event and was seen clapping and cheering with her husband.

READ MORE: Prince Harry ‘won’t quit Invictus’ despite concerns over Meghan Markle’s involvement for one reason
But while many people have welcomed Meghan’s involvement and praised the way she has supported Harry, some veterans said they are worried the Games have become “too royal” and have “lost their meaning” with Meghan’s involvement. GB News host Mark Dolan claimed that about 2,000 ex-military have left the Games and that some veterans would like Harry to “step down”.

However, fans have hit back at the claims and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their thoughts. “Prince Harry rocks at the Invictus Games! These games aren’t just about sports—they’re a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of wounded warriors. Let’s cheer them on!” one fan wrote.

And PR expert Ryan McCormick told us Harry probably will not take notice of the criticism, but will continue spearheading the Invictus Games around the world. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, he said: “Harry had no qualms about being honoured as a ‘Legend of Aviation’ in January so I don’t believe he’ll heed calls to step down from the Invictus Games.”

However, he did suggest stepping down could pay off for Harry. Ryan explained: “If The Duke did, however, and said it was out of respect to veterans, it could be a sizable boost of positive PR.”

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Games, Harry will give a reading at a special service at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, on May 8. A statement published on the Invictus Games’ social media accounts read: “The Invictus Games Foundation will celebrate 10 years of changing lives and saving lives with a ‘Service of Thanksgiving’ at St Paul’s Cathedral on May 8th. We will be joined by our Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, actor Damian Lewis and members of the worldwide Invictus Community to mark the occasion.”

Harry will not be joined by Meghan for the event. However, the Duchess of Sussex will join her husband for a trip to Nigeria where they will take part in talks on the Invictus Games and meet with servicemen and their families.

It comes as Birmingham made the final shortlist of just two locations hoping to host the Invictus Games in 2027. In what would be another feather in the city region’s cap when it comes to hosting major sporting events, it is now battling with Washington DC to secure the final vote in July.

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The UK government is backing the region in its bid to host the games for the first time, with the National Exhibition Centre in Solihull set to be the main event venue. The bid also draws on the connection between the Armed Forces and the military hospital, now housed within Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Selly Oak.

On Friday, the chairman of the Invictus Games Foundation, Lord Allen, shared an official statement in which he announced: “We were delighted to receive such a strong field of applications to host the Invictus Games in 2027, which gives us tremendous confidence for this next iteration of the Games following Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 presented by ATCO and Boeing.

“oth cities now shortlisted for 2027 have kept the experiences of the competitors and supporters at their core, building different but hugely exciting bids. We look forward to the next stage of the process and selecting another inspirational iteration of the games over the summer.”