Prince Harry’s decision to invite King Charles and Prince William to the 2027 Invictus Games may place the monarchy in an uncomfortable position, potentially making the senior royals look unsupportive if they choose not to attend, according to a royal expert.
The Duke of Sussex, who continues to champion the international sporting event for wounded veterans, has extended invitations to both his father and brother for the next games to be held in the UK. However, their attendance-or lack thereof—could carry significant public relations consequences.
Speaking to The Sun, royal commentator Brontë Coy explained the dilemma now facing Buckingham Palace. “I think this is such a difficult one, I’ve given this one a lot of thought,” Coy admitted. She acknowledged the strained family dynamics, particularly in light of Prince Harry’s previous public criticisms in interviews, his memoir Spare, and the Netflix docuseries that portrayed his royal relatives in an unflattering light.
“There’s a lot of sympathy, understanding, and respect for the King’s and William’s position because I think anyone can relate that if you’ve been spoken about publicly, and had your personal issues with family members aired in that way, of course,e you would be angry,” Coy said.
“And of course, you’d be well within your right to shut it down and cut him off because there’s no trust.” Yet despite those tensions, Coy warned that the royal family could appear petty or dismissive of a cause they have long supported if they choose not to attend the event. “But it’s in the UK and you’re talking about the military community of which the royals are very, very, very entwined,” she emphasized.
“You do run the risk of looking a little bit petty if they don’t go and support it, given their position in supporting the military community.” The Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry in 2014, have long been embraced by the royal family as a celebration of military resilience and camaraderie. Past iterations of the games have even featured appearances by senior royals, including Harry’s then-wife Meghan Markle and Prince William.
Now, with the 2027 games poised to return to the UK, the spotlight will be on how—or whether—Charles and William respond to the invitation. Their absence could be interpreted as a personal snub or, worse, as a lack of support for wounded veterans.
“I think it’s going to be particularly complicated and something that is going to be discussed a lot in the palace,” Coy concluded. As the games approach, the royal family’s next move will be closely scrutinized, not just as a family matter, but as a reflection of their ongoing commitment to the military community.