Prince Harry slammed for ‘ruining’ Invictus Games by taking the publicity away from athletes

The Duke of Sussex has come under fire ahead of the Invictus Games as he and Meghan Markle get set for their first joint public appearance in months.

Prince Harry has come under fire for “ruining” the Invictus Games by taking away the publicity from the athletes and using the event as a means of self-promotion.

The international sporting competition was founded by the Duke of Sussex and brings together injured and sick veterans and servicemen and women from all over the world.

However, one royal expert has accused Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of taking the spotlight away from the athletes during the Invictus Games, which will be held in Germany.

“They're going to use them as publicity for themselves. I mean, they have loved Harry, they’ve been very good, I’ve been on one with him,” royal biographer Angela Levin told GB News.

Prince Harry greets a veteran during the trailer for his new Netflix docuseries. Picture: Netflix

“And I’ve spoke to the people who started it and they felt very strongly he was absolutely right (to launch the games).

“But now he's turned it into making him more important than he is now … People in Canada have contacted me to say they’re trying to stop the 2025 one because they don’t want it anymore with them, they’ve got to leave, they don’t want it because he’s ruined it.

“Because they're taking all the spotlight away from them. I mean, they need that help, they need the spotlight.”

The couple’s appearance at the games will mark the first public appearance since the night of their ill-fated New York paparazzi car chase.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven’t made a public appearance together since the infamous New York chase. Picture: GC Images

Prince Harry will be in Dusseldorf for the entirety of the competition, which runs from September 9 until September 16.

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex will join him for at least part of that time, and take on the role of hosting a special event during the closing ceremony.

Other famous figures due to appear at the closing ceremony include Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German president who hosted the King and Queen in March this year, as well as pop star Rita Ora is also going to perform at the event.

It comes ahead of Prince Harry’s latest Netflix series Heart of Invictus where the royal focuses on the stories of wounded members of the military heal through competitive sport.

The first episode of the TV show is set to air on August 30.

Originally published as Prince Harry slammed for ‘ruining’ Invictus Games by taking the publicity away from athletes