Uganda will now compete at Prince Harry’s Invictus Games next year after an intervention from the King to smooth over relations.
Last week, the African country said it was pulling out of sending a team to the Invictus Games event in Birmingham with the country’s military chief saying it will “not participate in anything” that does not have the King’s “approval” and blaming the “Harry and Meghan nonsense”.
It led to sources close to the Duke of Sussex to claim that a letter issued at request of Charles reaffirming Harry and Meghan were ‘’private citizens” following their return to the UK had caused the situation.
However, now it has emerged that the King’s principal private secretary Sir Clive Alderton spoke with Uganda military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba on the phone to say that the King had been ‘moved’ by his “sensitive consideration” of what his opinion might be on the forthcoming event to be held in Birmingham next year – but urged the country to make a U-turn and compete in the Games.
And now another Uganda military chief has confirmed his country will now send a team to the Birmingham event and makes it debut at the event after learning the King has “no problem” with the country competing in the Games. It is not known whether Sir Clive contacted General Kainerugaba first or if the military chief approached Buckingham Palace for clarity.
A Palace source said the call between Sir Clive and General Kainerugaba was an example of the system set out in the letter regarding Harry and Meghan’s status “working as it should”.
They said: “As the Lord Chamberlain’s letter made clear, where there may be any uncertainty then organisations are welcome to seek guidance from the Palace, as has now happened in this instance with a positive outcome for all.”
The source added that the Palace was “most grateful to the Ugandans for their courtesy and understanding on this issue and stand ready to assist any other organisations who may wish for assistance on such matters.”
It came after earlier today, Colonel Chris Magezi, acting director of Defence Public Information in Uganda, said the matter had been resolved following a phone call with Sir Clive.
He wrote on X: “The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has approved UPDF (Uganda People’s Defence Force) participation in the upcoming Invictus Games next year in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
“The decision follows a telephone conversation between General Kainerugaba and the Principal Private Secretary to His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen of the United Kingdom, the Right Honourable Sir Clive Alderton KCVO.
“In the discussion, Sir Alderton revealed that King Charles III was moved by General Kainerugaba’s sensitive consideration of the King’s opinion on the upcoming Invictus Games organized by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.
“Sir Alderton said King Charles III has no problem with Uganda’s participation in the Invictus Games, and encouraged the CDF to proceed with preparations for UPDF’s participation in the games.
“In the telephone conversation, General Kainerugaba appreciated the King’s message and clarity provided by Buckingham Palace on the subject, promising that the UPDF would resume preparations to participate in the upcoming games.
“The Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event founded by Prince Harry in 2014 for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans.
“Uganda joined the Games this year as the 26th member nation, but the CDF had withdrawn UPDF participation in the upcoming games to preserve Uganda’s close relationship with the British monarchy after Buckingham Palace had earlier issued a statement indicating that the Invictus Games were a private charity organisation.”
Prince Harry’s Invictus Games will be in Birmingham next year
The row erupted last week when General Kainerugaba issued a statement 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 General also said the decision to withdraw from the sporting competition was made to quash support in the military for “that Harry-Meghan nonsense”, adding: “I support the monarch. Period.”
Later, a source close to Harry said Uganda’s withdrawal was “clearly a consequence of the Lord Chamberlain’s guidance regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that was rushed out without consultation.”
The letter came Charles asked the Royal Household’s most senior officer the Lord Chamberlain to write to senior stakeholders within the Government and the military setting out guidelines on his son and daughter-in-law’s status now they are back in the UK.
It read: “It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used.
“The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
Uganda was proudly announced as the latest member of the Invictus family in a London ceremony involving the duke just two months ago – becoming only the second African nation to join after Nigeria.
The foundation, which hailed the country’s inclusion as “another important step in the growth of the Invictus movement”, has since funded new sports and adaptive equipment to help kickstart sports recovery in Uganda.
Source: Mirror
