Prince Harry to offer olive branch to King Charles and Prince William with invites to 2027 Invictus Games
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: A major development in the ongoing royal family saga has emerged, as Prince Harry apparently plans to extend an olive branch by inviting King Charles and other senior royals to the 2027 Invictus Games.
The Duke of Sussex is keen to reconcile with his family, and this invitation may mark his most significant attempt yet at mending long-standing rifts, as per the Daily Mail.
The initial invites are expected to be sent via email later this month, followed by formal written invitations. This gesture, if accepted, could lead to the first public appearance of Harry alongside his family since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Prince Harry has agreed that Invictus Games should extend an invitation to royal family
The timing of the invitation was carefully chosen to accommodate the royals’ schedules, especially King Charles, who typically plans engagements up to three years in advance.
This means that if the invitation is accepted, it could see Prince Harry reunite publicly with the royal family during the Invictus Games, scheduled to be held at Birmingham's NEC from July 12 to July 17, 2027.
However, the closing day of the event also coincides with Queen Camilla’s 80th birthday, raising potential scheduling challenges.
A source close to the planning stated, “Harry has agreed that Invictus should extend an invitation to his family. Invictus hopes the Royal Family will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans.”
It remains uncertain whether Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, will accompany Harry to the UK for the 2027 Invictus Games.
The duke has previously stated that he could not bring his family to the UK unless they're provided “full police protection.” Their potential return to the UK as a family would mark a significant moment, though no decision has been announced.
Royal experts weigh in on potential Invictus Games reunion of Prince Harry and King Charles
Royal experts have responded to the news with mixed sentiments. Ingrid Seward suggested, “The King might attend to show support for the Armed Forces and congratulate Harry on the most significant success in his life."
However, they also mentioned, "The only reason the King is wary of associating with his son is that he no longer trusts him not to repeat their private conversations as he has done in the past. This goes for all the working members of the family.”
Royal commentator Katie Nicholl also weighed in, stating, “The King absolutely wants a relationship with his youngest son and with his grandchildren. He has an incredible capacity for forgiveness and he wants to be magnanimous in all of this and therefore there's certainly a possibility that the King might consider attending Invictus.”
Having said that, the potential involvement of the family is expected to cause logistical challenges for palace aides, especially with Queen Camilla’s milestone birthday falling during the same week.
Prince Harry’s Invictus Games gesture represents reconciliation efforts
The invitation effort would represent the first time Prince Harry has publicly reached out in hopes of gathering his family since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. The invite list and wording are said to have been personally approved by him, with emails being sent to private secretaries at the palace.
A spokesperson for Invictus confirmed, “No formal invitations have been issued as preparations are in the early stages.” However, the Invictus Games are projected to deliver considerable economic and social value to Birmingham, further highlighting their importance beyond the personal dynamics of the royal family.
Following their decision to step down as senior working royals and relocate to the United States, both Prince Harry and Meghan relinquished the use of their HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles and no longer formally represent the monarchy.
This historic move created a significant rift within the royal family, deepened further by the Duke of Sussex's 2023 memoir 'Spare' and the couple’s high-profile media appearances.
