The Invictus Games, spearheaded by the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has suffered a significant blow as one of its main sponsors withdraws support.
Help for Heroes recently announced that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has terminated its collaboration with the British charity, putting an end to their eight-year-long partnership.
Consequently, the Royal British Legion (RBL) will now assume sole responsibility for preparing veterans for the annual event until 2028.
According to a MOD spokesperson, this transition will ensure stable funding and increased personnel support for the team.
In a further setback, major sponsors such as Disney and Land Rover Jaguar have also abruptly halted their contributions, impeding the scale of this year’s Invictus Games.
In 2016, Jaguar Land Rover employee James McGill, who was part of the UK team, kicked off the Invictus Games flag relay with a Jaguar F-Pace.
The following year, Meghan Markle joined Prince Harry at the Toronto Games.
Jaguar Land Rover continued its partnership with the Invictus Games in 2017, proudly sponsoring the UK team.
James McGill, a former Grenadier guard and Jaguar Land Rover employee, was selected to compete in track and field as well as swimming.
Expressing disappointment with the program, James McGill, a member of the UK team for the 2017 Invictus Games, revealed that many exceptional contestants were unjustly removed from the program during the editing process.
He lamented that numerous poignant stories were overshadowed, while attention was given to less significant individuals.
McGill believes that the leaders of the Invictus Games should reassess the core purpose of this significant program.
In subsequent years, Jaguar Land Rover ceased sending participants, and now, for the Invictus Games 2023, the sponsorship has been officially withdrawn.
It is evident that the directors, managers, and organizers associated with Land Rover do not agree with Meghan Markle’s involvement in making speeches at the Invictus Games.
They argue that she lacks knowledge and has not contributed anything substantial.
They accuse her of seeking attention and stealing the limelight from the true heroes.
This shift indicates a notable departure from the days when the Royal family played a central role in running the event.
The current setup appears more akin to a local community gathering or a fan convention rather than an international sporting event managed by professionals.
The loss of sponsors like Jaguar Land Rover, coupled with their reliance on Netflix (which has also dwindled following the disappointing Invictus documentary), has severely impacted the financial stability of the Invictus Games.
Furthermore, the absence of prominent figures, a far cry from the years when former US President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden would attend, is glaringly apparent.
Perhaps most dishearteningly, despite offering free tickets, the stands remain empty.
To make matters worse, Meghan Markle’s arrival in Dusseldorf has only served to divert attention away from Prince Harry and, more importantly, the veterans.
Her actions underscore the notion that the Invictus Games are no longer primarily focused on supporting veterans but rather on promoting the Meghan and Harry show, with Prince Harry playing second fiddle.