When Prince Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014, it was with the financial support of the Royal Foundation.
Emphasising that it was a team effort, the foundation’s two other patrons, Prince William and Catherine, joined Harry at the opening ceremony.
Also in attendance at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London was Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, as the King and Queen were then known.
Although Invictus, over time, became solely associated with its patron Harry, his father, brother, sister-in-law and stepmother remained supporters of the charity, which helps wounded or sick former service personnel by encouraging them to take part in a sports competition.
Next year, the Invictus Games will be held in Birmingham and Harry is due to fly from California next month for a series of events to publicise them.
The Duke of Sussex had hoped to bring his wife and children with him. It would be Meghan’s first visit to Britain since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022. Their children, Prince Archie, now aged seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, have not set foot in the land of their father since the June of that year, when they came to join in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. It was Lily’s first and last visit.
The Duke of Sussex had hoped to bring his wife with him to his homeland, writes Richard Eden. It would be Meghan’s first visit to Britain since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022
He made those bitter comments after losing a legal challenge over his security in this country.
However, earlier this year, the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, which authorises security for senior royals on behalf of the Home Office, began assessing whether to reinstate Harry’s automatic, taxpayer-funded protection, which he and Meghan lost after they quit royal duties in 2020.
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Civil servants who sit on the committee were reported to be opposed to granting the couple taxpayer-funded protection whenever they are in Britain because it carried too much political risk. Hard-pressed British taxpayers would, the officials wisely advised, not be happy to hand over their money so the Sussexes could come and go as they pleased.
Having made such a song and dance about protection, proud Harry risks losing face if he brings Meghan back to Britain with no change in their security status. However, the American former actress happily visited France last October for Paris Fashion Week and the couple have been to places far more dangerous than England such as the Middle East, Colombia and Nigeria.
This week, I have heard two interesting things.
The first is that the King is keen to show his support for the Invictus Games. ‘Like the rest of the Royal Family, His Majesty believes that Invictus is a very worthy cause,’ a friend of the monarch told me. ‘He hopes that the Games will be a big success for Birmingham next year and is aware that a lot of taxpayers’ money has been spent on it.’
That’s certainly true. The Government has committed as much as £26million in public funds to support the Invictus Games, via the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.
Harry is due to fly from California next month for a series of events to publicise next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham. Pictured: Prince William, the King and Prince Harry attend the athletics at the Invictus Games in September 2014
The second thing I was told this week is that Harry will be given police protection for next month’s visit, but that may be only for the events connected to Invictus.
‘When Harry came last September, he was granted police protection at certain times, such as when he attended the WellChild Awards,’ a source told me. ‘That will be the same this time for his Invictus events.’
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told me: ‘There is no change in the security situation as far as we are aware. We wouldn’t comment on meetings with the Duke’s family.’
A Buckingham Palace spokesman declines to comment.
