patron

Last year, there was a high-profile campaign to somehow force or convince Prince Harry to resign from his board position on African Parks, a well-funded NGO working to conserve African ecosystems and protect African animal populations. As I said at the time, the campaign was very clearly coming from Prince William, and I also said that William’s ultimate goal is to somehow f–k with all of Harry’s major patronages. Then, this year, the Sentebale catastrophe happened. Once again, William’s peggy fingerprints were all over that fiasco. Everyone once again pointed out that William only gives a sh-t about taking things away from Harry and harming Harry’s philanthropic legacy. Well, it looks like William is making some moves on the Invictus Games. The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden wrote this infuriating column:

The Duke of Sussex said his decision to resign earlier this year as patron of Sentebale, the charity he co-founded to help Aids orphans in southern Africa, was ‘devastating’. Now, however, he may come under pressure to quit as patron of the other cause closest to his heart. I hear increasing rumblings of discontent about Prince Harry’s role as patron of the Invictus Games, the international sports event he founded with his brother and sister-in-law, the Prince and Princess of Wales, to help wounded, injured and sick military service personnel.

A source close to the Invictus Games Foundation tells me there is concern that Harry is no longer the help to the charity that he once was.

‘The duke has become an increasingly divisive figure, particularly in the Armed Forces,’ the source says. ‘And that is not good for Invictus. We are all about bringing people together and inspiring those who have suffered hardship. Now, Invictus is firmly established, it might be better if the duke took a step back.’

The issue is particularly sensitive because the next Invictus Games is due to be held in this country, in Birmingham, in 2027. Given Harry’s estrangement from the Royal Family – which he has attacked publicly on a number of occasions including in his memoir, Spare, and the interview with Oprah Winfrey – it is doubtful that any members would want to be seen alongside him in Birmingham. Stories have already appeared suggesting that Invictus will invite royals to attend the 2027 games, putting them in an awkward position – and this has led to further unease.

‘It is worrying that such a worthy event seems to be used for PR [public relations] purposes,’ says the source. ‘Normally, senior members of the Royal Family would want to attend. It goes without saying that they support the Forces to the hilt, so it would be unfortunate if they felt unable to because of Harry’s presence.’

A royal source tells me: ‘If Harry were to resign as patron of Invictus, I’m sure they would have no trouble finding a new royal patron.’

Rob Owen, chief executive of the Invictus Games Foundation, tells me: ‘We are proud to have the Duke of Sussex as the patron and founder. The Invictus movement stems from his ideas and his passion for the international community of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans, borne out of his military service experience, and his understanding of the power of sport to change lives and save lives. 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.’

[From The Daily Mail]

“If Harry were to resign as patron of Invictus, I’m sure they would have no trouble finding a new royal patron.” It makes me feel sick to my stomach, actually. The fact that William is waging this public campaign to do what? A hostile takeover of Harry’s signature achievement, his brainchild, the event he painstakingly put together and nurtured for more than a decade? All so his ugly brother can claim it as his own royal patronage? And that’s another thing… for argument’s sake, let’s say this happened the way William wants, and Invictus is like “well, sh-t, let’s ask William to be our royal patron.” Is that not an enormous embarrassment for Invictus AND William? Or is he too stupid and childish to understand that? What’s also funny is that William refuses to do anything with his existing patronages (nevermind taking on new patronages), and yet he’s an eager-beager whenever it comes to anything Harry founded?

Also: “Normally, senior members of the Royal Family would want to attend. It goes without saying that they support the Forces to the hilt, so it would be unfortunate if they felt unable to because of Harry’s presence.” The Windsors actually refused to even congratulate or send well-wishes to the British Invictus team in 2022, 2023 and 2025. They were so mad that Harry was getting so much attention as Invictus’s founder, they went out of their way to snub British veterans. Not even a tweet of congratulations, not even a small reception for the medal-winning British Invictus team. These people are completely pathetic.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.