Prince Harry has snubbed the US for Britain – a first time since he stepped back as a senior royal, but it leaves King Charles with quite the predicament. The Duke of Sussex will be bringing the Invictus Games to Birmingham in 2027, with Washington DC failing to make the cut.
Harry made the announcement on Tuesday that the eighth sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen, will go ahead on UK soil. But this throws up a whole load of logistical questions.
Newsweek’s royal correspondent, Jack Royston, said the move will leave the monarch with a “moral dilemma”. Speaking to Sky News’s Kay Burley this morning, he said: “Prince Harry has taken quite a surprising decision, he’s going to have his 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham instead of Washington D.C.
“He had the chance to do it right on his new home turf in the beating heart of American politics and American democracy and he’s chosen Birmingham instead, which is really interesting.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back as senior royals and relocate to Montecito, California, has struck hard with many royal fans. But the controversey has more so centred around the string of accusations and revelations the pair have made since they’ve parted from their royal duties.
The couple have used Harry’s memoir Spare, their Netflix docuseries and a bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview to try and “expose” their version of events behind closed, royal doors.
Experts over the years have been urging Harry to mend the rift with his brother, Prince William, and to grow closer to his father, King Charles, by keeping their names out of the spotlight.
But with no real movement in this area, it will remain to be seen whether or not they’ll support him in Birmingham – the event itself still two years away.
“It throws up all kinds of really, difficult controversial questions,” Mr Royston continued. “Like, will King Charles go to the Invictus Games? The palace will probably be telling him ‘you shouldn’t be seen to be endorsing something that Harry’s doing outside of the royal world.’
“But Harry will be saying ‘You’re my dad. You should be proud of me. This is my big moment, I’m doing a wonderful thing in Britain.’ So there’s all those questions.”
There is also a huge question mark hanging over whether or not Meghan will accompany her husband back to the UK for the games. A PR expert exclusively told Express.co.uk that there is huge doubt over the Duchess setting foot on UK soil due to security fears.
The last time Prince Harry met his father in person was earlier this year when he learned of the King’s cancer diagnosis, of which he is still receiving treatment for.
Harry returned to London in May to host a 10 year Invictus event, but a “clash in diaries” meant the King and the prince were unable to meet face-to-face during his brief return to Britain.
