Prince William Allegedly 'Surprised' By Prince Harry's Invictus Games Success, Royal Expert Claims
Prince William was allegedly jealous of his younger brother Prince Harry's success with the Invictus Games, according to a royal expert.
Robert Jobson, a British journalist and writer, appeared on the ABC News special "Prince Harry's Mission: Life, Family and Invictus Games." He weighed in on the success of the Duke of Sussex's project for the veterans and service sports and how it allegedly made the Prince of Wales feel.
Prince William, Prince of Wales, president of Bafta speaks with Charlotte Moore BBC chief content officer at the Bafta Film Awards 2024 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre on February 18, 2024 in London, England.
"It's been very successful since its outset," Jobson said, per People. "It doesn't come cheap, it costs a lot of money, and he's been able to continue to raise that money throughout this period, which is impressive."
He added, "But I think there was a degree of jealousy about how well it had gone. 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."
Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales delivers a speech during the London's Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner at The OWO in central London, on February 7, 2024.
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games, an international multi-sport event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, in 2014. The idea came after the Duke of Sussex visited the Warrior Games, an event for wounded servicemen organized by the U.S. Department of Defense in 2013. At the event, he witnessed "how the power of sport could help physically, psychologically and socially," according to the Invictus Games website.
Prince William, Prince of Wales visits the Hideaway Youth Project, lead partner of the Manchester Peace Together Alliance during his visit to Moss Side on November 16, 2023 in Manchester, England.
Prince Harry started Invictus Games as patron of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, the charitable organization for the royal brothers and Kate Middleton. Meghan Markle joined them when she married Prince Harry in 2018. However, the foursome split when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to have a separate household. The event is no longer part of the royal umbrella.
"Harry is no longer a working royal. 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," royal commentator Victoria Murphy said in the documentary.
Prince William and Prince Harry attend the unveiling of a statue of their mother, Princess Diana at The Sunken Garden in Kensington Palace, London on July 1, 2021.
As for the rivalry between Prince Harry and Prince William, the former did not deny it and even called the latter his "beloved brother" and "archnemesis" in his book, which he explained in an interview with Michael Strahan while promoting his memoir "Spare" in January 2023.
"There has always been this competition between us, weirdly," Prince Harry said. "I think it really plays into, or was played by, the 'heir/spare.'"
