Uganda has withdrawn from next year’s Invictus Games in the United Kingdom, just two months after the country was announced as a new participant, in a decision linked to concerns over the event’s association with Prince Harry.
The decision was announced by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, who said the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) would no longer participate in the international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans.
In a post on X, Gen Kainerugaba said Uganda was pulling out “in order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III,” whom he said Uganda deeply respects.
“We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval,” Gen Kainerugaba said.
Uganda’s government spokesperson, Alan Kasujja, confirmed the decision, saying the military chief has authority over the UPDF’s participation in the event.
“General Kainerugaba decides whether or not the UPDF participates in the Invictus Games. What you saw is his stated position. If it changes, he will let the world know,” Kasujja told the BBC.
A royal dispute casts a shadow
Uganda’s withdrawal comes days after a letter issued on behalf of King Charles III clarified the constitutional and royal status of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who are no longer working members of the British Royal Family.
Sources close to the Sussexes have linked Uganda’s decision to the letter, which was circulated publicly and appeared to underline the distinction between the King’s official royal duties and projects associated with his son.
A source close to Harry and Meghan told the BBC that the withdrawal was a consequence of the letter, arguing that the decision could ultimately hurt the military personnel who were due to compete.
“Sadly, the only people who will suffer are the Invictus Games competitors,” the source said.
A report by The Times also suggested that Gen Kainerugaba’s concerns over what it described as the “Harry-Meghan nonsense” formed part of the background to Uganda’s decision.
The Invictus Games, however, is not a royal sporting competition in the formal sense. It was founded by Prince Harry to use sport as a means of supporting the rehabilitation, recovery and reintegration of wounded and injured service personnel and veterans.
Royal sources have maintained that King Charles supports initiatives aimed at helping wounded members of the armed forces.
Uganda had only recently joined
The withdrawal represents a sharp reversal for Uganda, which in July was announced as the 26th nation to participate in the Invictus Games.
The announcement came as Prince Harry promoted the 2027 edition of the competition in London.
The next Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham, England, bringing together military personnel and veterans from participating countries for a programme built around competition, recovery and rehabilitation.
For Uganda, participation would have provided an international platform for its wounded and injured service personnel to compete alongside veterans from around the world.
Instead, the country’s participation has now been placed on hold following a decision made at the highest level of the military.
The Invictus Games organisers said they had not received formal notification from Uganda that it was withdrawing.
A spokesperson said the organisation was seeking clarification from its contacts in Uganda.
Decision comes amid wider attention on Muhoozi
Gen Kainerugaba’s announcement came alongside a series of other posts on X that drew attention to the outspoken military chief.
In one post, he described himself as “the most handsome, most daring and glorious Commander who ever lived.”
He also posted angry messages concerning other military officers whom he accused of dancing without his permission.
The latest controversy places Uganda’s military leadership at the centre of an unusual diplomatic and royal story, with the country now withdrawing from an international event it had only recently embraced.
For the wounded service personnel who were expected to represent Uganda, however, the political and royal dispute carries a more personal consequence: the loss of an opportunity to compete on an international stage designed specifically to celebrate their resilience.
Uganda’s withdrawal therefore leaves two questions hanging over the Birmingham Games — whether Kampala will formally reverse its decision, and whether the UPDF’s wounded personnel will ultimately be allowed to take their place among the world’s Invictus competitors.
