Prince William was ‘surprised’ over Harry’s Invictus Games success: ‘A degree of jealousy’
Let the games begin.
Prince William was reportedly “surprised” by the success of Prince Harry’s Invictus Games.
“I think there was a degree of jealousy about how well it had gone,” Robert Jobson said during the ABC News special “Prince Harry’s Mission: Life, Family and Invictus Games.”
“I do think that William was surprised how much this had been such a success and how much money was being thrown into it and how many governments were getting involved,” Jobson said, adding that the event has “been very successful since its outset.”
“It doesn’t come cheap,” the reporter added. “It costs a lot of money, and he’s been able to continue to raise that money throughout this period, which is impressive.”
The Invictus Games, which were founded by Harry, 39, in 2014, serve as an international multisport event for wounded, injured and sick soldiers and veterans.
Earlier this month, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, 42, visited Canada to gear up for the 2025 Invictus Games, which will be held in the country next February — nearly 18 months after the Germany games.
Since leaving his royal duties and UK family behind in 2020, the Duke of Sussex has made working on the games his “No. 1 passion project.”
In recent years, members of the royal family have refused to take part in the games due to Prince Harry’s continued disassociation with the household.
“Harry is no longer a working royal,” royal commentator Victoria Murphy explains in the ABC special. “Invictus no longer sits under the umbrella of organizations that the royal family officially are part of and therefore, they haven’t mentioned it at all since Harry stepped back as a working royal.”
The reports of jealousy from Prince William, 41, also come as the rift between the two brothers continues to widen.
As previously reported, there was hope that the brothers would attempt to reconcile after it was revealed that their father, King Charles III, had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer.
William, however, reportedly had “no plans” to meet with his brother when he jetted off to the UK to see Charles following the news.
A source close to Harry told the Daily Mail that he would have “gladly accepted” a meeting with his estranged brother — had there been an invite.
“The duke’s primary reason to travel to the UK is to visit his father. If the opportunity were to arise to see the Prince of Wales, then the duke would have gladly accepted it,” the insider said.
Harry’s return to the UK coincided with the Prince of Wales returning to his royal duties for the first time since the monarch, 75, announced his diagnosis and Kate Middleton underwent abdominal surgery.
“Prince Harry’s Mission: Life, Family and Invictus Games” is streaming on Hulu.
