Prince Harry’s Invictus Games under fire as soldiers threaten to leave

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(NewsNation) — Prince Harry may want to dedicate his life to charity — but it seems his charitable work is under attack.

This week, a former major in the British army and intelligence corps, Edward Fortescue, wrote a scathing post on X decrying both Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle.

In the post, Fortescue wrote: “The wounded veterans of Invictus are done—utterly and irrevocably done—with Harry and that fame-hungry parasite he married. They’ve seen war. They’ve faced death. They’ve dragged their broken bodies through fire and blood—and now they are expected to play supporting roles in the grotesque theatre of two narcissists desperate for applause.”

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Fortescue then took direct aim at Markle, saying: “Meghan Markle is not a humanitarian. She is a scavenger—circling the sacred with cameras in tow, draped in designer grief and counterfeit empathy. She turns every solemn tribute into a photo opportunity, every scar into a set-piece. The woman wouldn’t know sacrifice if it bled out in front of her. And as for Harry—he had once earned our respect, but he sold it for a docuseries and a podcast that even Spotify couldn’t stomach.”

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The former soldier also resents Harry for leaving his duty as a former royal, writing: “(Harry) abandoned his regiment, his family, his Queen—then came crawling back to the very veterans he left behind, hoping their heroism might cover the stench of his cowardice. But the veterans see through him now. He’s no brother-in-arms. He’s a cautionary tale.

“The Games were built by warriors. Forged in agony. Sanctified by those who’ve suffered beyond imagining. They are not a red carpet for grifters, nor a stage for Meghan’s endless performance of self-infatuation.

“Invictus must cast them out. Not politely. Not discreetly. Ruthlessly. Because every second they remain near this sacred institution is a second too long. Our wounded deserve dignity, not drama. Service, not spectacle. Honour, not Harry.”

A rep for the Sussexes didn’t return emails, but Fortescue isn’t alone in his anger.

In February, a volunteer at the games told the Daily Mail that the couple “continuously insert themselves into the spotlight” at the Games.

“They have become a distraction, overshadowing the veterans who should be at the centre of it all,” the volunteer said.

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Invictus workers were also annoyed when Harry gave a “woke” speech many felt alluded to President Donald Trump.

At the last games, Harry praised veterans’ “courage, values and humanity” at a time “when there is no shortage of crises, no absence of uncertainty, no lack of weak moral character in the world.”

A senior volunteer told the Daily Mail: “While we remain committed to supporting the veterans and their families, there is growing frustration over how Harry and Meghan have dominated the narrative,” the insider said.

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“Public sentiment, especially among veterans, reflects this frustration – most do not respect how they continuously insert themselves into the spotlight. Unlike them, veterans and their families do not see themselves as victims. Their ‘woke’ agenda dies with veterans.”

And last year, the Mirror in England wrote that around 2,000 ex-service members left the games and the organization completely after they felt it had “lost its meaning.”

The games were set up in 2014 by Harry to support veterans.

Prince Harry’s charity troubles

This is just the latest setback for Harry’s charity dreams.

Last week, the U.K.’s Charity Commission cleared Harry of bullying complaints leveled at him by the Sentebale chair, Sophie Chaundauka. Instead, “it criticized all sides for letting the fight play out publicly.”

Harry and the Prince of Lesotho stepped down in solidarity with five of the board’s nine trustees, who had quit after they lost confidence in Chandauka and called on her to resign. The former trustees also reported their concerns to the Charity Commission, the independent watchdog that oversees charities in England and Wales.

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Harry is said to be fuming that he was criticized at all in the matter, and his rep told People that the report fell “troublingly short in many regards.” The charity “has been a deeply personal and transformative mission for Prince Harry, established to serve some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana,” the statement added. “For 19 years, its dedicated staff and steadfast supporters have provided vital care to over 100,000 young people across southern Africa, including young people living with HIV/AIDS and those facing mental health challenges.

As well as formerly heading Sentebale, Harry is head of Invictus Games — a charity he started in 2014 for wounded warriors — and is on the board of Africa Parks and heads up Archewell, the foundation he started with his wife.

As I exclusively reported earlier this year, Archewell was found to have given over $50,000 to an anti-Israel activist (upon learning from me about the allegation, Archewell immediately cut ties with the group), and now, there’s massive trouble afoot with his other beloved cause, African Parks.

Last month, it was announced that an investigation led by Cherie Blair — the wife of the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair — found that a charity Prince Harry is connected to admitted its rangers commit human rights abuses against those in the Republic of Congo indigenous communities, according to reports. Harry is also said to be stung that he and Meghan were passed over by Time magazine for its 100 list of philanthropists — the magazine instead awarded the honor to Harry’s nemeses, brother Prince William and Princess Catherine.

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