In a sudden reversal that has stirred international attention, Uganda has announced its withdrawal from the Invictus Games, the global sporting event for wounded and injured military veterans founded and led by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. This decision comes only two months after the East African nation formally confirmed its participation in the 2025 competition set to be hosted in Birmingham, England, which would have made Uganda the 26th member country of the Invictus Games community.
The withdrawal announcement was made via a post on X by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and the son of long-time Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. In his statement, General Kainerugaba framed the pullout as an act of deference to the British monarchy, saying, “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. We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty’s approval.”
The timing of the announcement lines up directly with a recent formal clarification from Buckingham Palace, which confirmed that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle—who recently returned to the UK for a series of public engagements—no longer hold official working royal roles under King Charles. Reporting from The Times has additionally cited that General Kainerugaba had privately expressed concerns over what he called the “Harry-Meghan nonsense”, framing that rift as the underlying context for the withdrawal decision.
A Ugandan government spokesperson later confirmed the general’s position to the BBC, noting that the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) defers to General Kainerugaba on all decisions regarding military participation in international events. “What you saw is his stated position. If it changes, he will let the world know,” the spokesperson added.
Royal sources have pushed back on the framing of the dispute, telling reporters that King Charles remains fully supportive of all initiatives that support wounded and injured service members, including the Invictus Games. Spokespeople for the Invictus Games organization have also said that as of Thursday, they had not received any formal official notification of Uganda’s withdrawal, and have been reaching out to their local contacts in the country to seek clear clarification on the situation.
The withdrawal announcement was not the only notable post from General Kainerugaba on X this Thursday. In separate messages, the general made a self-aggrandizing claim that he is “the most handsome, most daring and glorious Commander who ever lived”, and also shared a series of angry posts criticizing other senior Ugandan generals for holding a dance event without first obtaining his permission.
When Uganda’s participation was first announced in July during Prince Harry’s promotional tour for the 2025 Birmingham games, the invitation marked a milestone expanding the Invictus Games’ reach across Africa. The event, which launched in 2014, is centered on celebrating the physical and psychological resilience of military personnel who have been injured or disabled during service, supporting their ongoing rehabilitation through competitive sport.