Prince Harry may be hoping for a public reunion with King Charles and Prince William at the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, but a former royal insider has revealed that such hopes could be dashed before the opening ceremony even begins.
According to Paul Burrell, the late Princess Diana’s former butler, there is little chance that the King or the Prince of Wales will attend the event, despite its global recognition and Harry’s personal connection to the cause.
Burrell told the Daily Express that the senior royals are likely to reject the invitation, citing packed schedules and ongoing tensions within the family as the primary reasons.
“I think that the King and the Prince of Wales have enough charity events to go to,” Burrell said bluntly. “So I think they wouldn’t have to go to the Invictus Games.”
The former aide, who served Princess Diana for years, didn’t mince words about where the family stands. He emphasized that the Invictus Games are Harry’s “baby,” not something Charles or William feel responsible to support publicly.
“This is Harry’s concern, not theirs,” Burrell stated. “They shouldn’t go to support Harry in this venture. A public show of support, at this time, is probably not on the cards.”
Burrell went even further, suggesting that a public embrace between Prince William and Prince Harry is almost unimaginable right now — and may never happen again.
“I doubt whether William would embrace Harry in public at this moment in time, or even ever again,” he said while speaking on behalf of Casino.org.
This bombshell comes amid ongoing speculation that Harry is planning to use the 2027 Games as a platform to reconnect with his estranged family, perhaps even extending an olive branch in front of the world.
The next Invictus Games are set to take place in Birmingham from July 10 to July 17, 2027, following a successful bid from the city against six other international contenders.
Founded by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games have grown into a powerful global event, celebrating wounded, injured, and sick military veterans and service members through adaptive sports.
Despite the goodwill the games generate, Harry’s fractured relationship with his father and brother continues to overshadow many of his public endeavors.
The most recent edition of the Games was held in Canada, where Harry’s solo appearance sparked questions about whether he could ever reunite with the Royal Family on a public stage.
While Harry has expressed hopes for reconciliation, especially with his father amid King Charles’ ongoing cancer treatment, insiders suggest that any meaningful progress with Prince William remains distant at best.
According to royal experts, William still harbors deep resentment over Harry and Meghan Markle’s public criticism of the family, particularly the perceived attacks on Princess Catherine.
As the rift grows colder, events like the Invictus Games—which once might have served as a unifying stage—are now becoming a reminder of the deep divides within the monarchy.
For Prince Harry, the 2027 Invictus Games were likely imagined as a potential moment of healing and global solidarity. But according to Burrell and other insiders, that dream may never be realized.
With three years still to go, there remains a small window for change. But at this point, the idea of King Charles and Prince William appearing alongside Prince Harry at a major public event seems more like fantasy than fact.
Whether Harry will extend the invitation anyway and whether the Royal Family will even acknowledge it — remains to be seen. But one thing is clear that the wounds of Megxit still run deep.
