King Charles has successfully convinced Uganda to return to Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, set to take place in Birmingham.
The development came after a phone call between Uganda’s General Kainerugaba and Sir Clive Alderton, the Right Honourable Principal Private Secretary to the King and Queen, during which the monarch’s position on the East African nation’s participation was made clear.
During the conversation, Sir Clive disclosed that the King had been touched by General Kainerugaba’s thoughtful deference in seeking the monarch’s view on the forthcoming games, which are organised by the Duke of Sussex.
Sir Alderton confirmed that Charles had no objection to Uganda taking part and urged the Chief of Defence Forces to press ahead with the UPDF’s preparations for the competition.
King Charles has successfully convinced Uganda to return to Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, set to take place in Birmingham.
|
GETTY
Last week, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s commander of the armed forces and son of President Yoweri Museveni, declared that his country was pulling out of Prince Harry’s Invictus Games in a show of allegiance to King Charles.
The military chief posted his decision on X, stating: “In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the Invictus Games.”
He added: “We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval.”
Uganda’s withdrawal was a dramatic reversal as barely two months ago, the country was welcomed as the 26th member of the Invictus community and the first East African nation to join the event at a ceremony held at Chatham House on July 7.
At that London event, Uganda’s defence minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka stood alongside the Duke of Sussex to mark the occasion.
Kiwanuka expressed gratitude to Harry for the welcome and praised President Museveni’s “visionary leadership,” while crediting Kainerugaba himself for “championing our team’s entry.”
The minister described the moment as “a new chapter for our service men and women.”
Kainerugaba, who, like Harry, trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, was blunt when asked by about his motivations for withdrawing.
He said: “I have factions in the Ministry of Defence that support that Harry-Meghan nonsense. I had to quash it straight away. I support the monarch. Period.”
The general has steadily accumulated power since taking command of Uganda’s army in 2024 and is broadly regarded as the most likely successor to his 81-year-old father, who has governed the country for four decades.
Since securing a seventh presidential term in January, Museveni has increasingly stepped back, ceding authority to his son.
The next Invictus Games, Harry’s competition for wounded military personnel, are scheduled for Birmingham in July 2027. The Duke is understood to want the King to formally open the event.