Palace Insiders Are Criticizing the Royal Family's Lack of Interest in Prince Harry's Invictus Games

Prince Harry is celebrating a milestone anniversary with the Invictus Games on May 8, and it looks like the royal family won’t be there to celebrate with him. While many U.K. citizens have been critical of the Duke of Sussex’s exit from his working role at the palace, he’s getting some surprising support from royal insiders who think King Charles III and Prince William are handling this media opportunity the wrong way.

Harry has reportedly invited all of his family members to join him at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday, according to Page Six, but no one has accepted his olive branch. It’s what a Daily Beast source called a “classic example of the royals cutting off their nose to spite their face.” This shortsightedness might also come back to bite the palace because the Sussexes now have a London-based PR guru, Charlie Gipson, and he’s there to turn the headlines in Harry and Meghan’s favor.

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The royal family’s absence doesn’t reflect Charles’ reported reconciliation with his son behind the scenes, however, the move does feel petty from an outside perspective — it’s as if the royals have lost any sense of their public perception. “Charles has made it quite clear he is ready to be friendly and supportive to Harry in his capacity as a private person, as his dad, but he is not going to throw the weight of the institution behind Invictus again,” a former royal staffer told the media outlet. “This all seems very logical inside the Palace bubble, but the trouble is that people who don’t particularly care about such things, who are dimly aware that the royals spend their days visiting community centers and opening supermarkets, are going to wonder why they are boycotting this terrific charity that is headed by the king’s son.”

The news this week proves that Prince Harry’s Invictus Games is one of his major post-royal successes — Nigeria is courting him, and Birmingham and Washington, D.C. are in a fierce battle to host the 2027 event. If the palace was thinking about this strategically, the insider noted that “Invictus is clearly exactly the kind of organization the royal family should be supporting.” If the Birmingham bid is successful, then Charles is going to have to deal with the situation head-on. However, a military source thinks they are missing the mark by not showing up next week. “If Birmingham gets it for 2027 the royals are going to have to send someone, so they might as well get it over with now,” they pointed out.

It looks like Harry will be alone in marking such an incredible milestone and it’s disappointing to see that no one — not even Prince Edward or Princess Anne — could be bothered to attend. Fans will have to wait until May 8 for the events to unfold, but this could be a PR disaster for the palace.

Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.

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