Just weeks after Prince Harry smiled his way through another Invictus-heavy visit to Australia with Meghan Markle, the organization at the center of the trip got hit with some rough news. The Australian government has officially pulled future funding from Invictus Australia, leaving charity officials scrambling and reportedly stunned.
According to the Daily Mail, Australia’s Labor government chose not to renew the AUD$9 million funding package previously promised to the veterans organization over three years.
Australian government pulls funding from Prince Harry’s Invictus Games
Invictus Australia chief executive Michael Hartung revealed the organization only learned about the funding decision hours before the country’s federal budget was formally announced. Unsurprisingly, the reaction behind the scenes was not exactly calm acceptance.
“We really only found out yesterday evening,” Hartung told ABC Sport, adding the news left the organization with “a fair degree of shock.”
Hartung further warned the funding cut could directly affect support services for veterans dealing with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and social isolation. He also suggested the decision could create challenges when it comes to sending a full Australian team to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
“For many veterans, Invictus Australia is not a recreational outlet. It is a lifeline,” he said in a statement shared on the charity’s website.
Earlier this week, the Daily Mail also reported that the vice chairman of the board for Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, Melloney Poole, stepped down from her role. She reportedly cited a desire to focus on her other commitments, including chairing the Florence Nightingale Foundation.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan recently spent time with Invictus Australia members during their Sydney visit, including attending a sailing event and meeting veterans at the Australian War Memorial.
Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 to support wounded, injured, and sick service members through competitive sports and recovery programs. The international event has since become one of the Duke of Sussex’s most personal and high-profile charitable projects.
Representatives for the Duke of Sussex have not publicly commented on the Australian government’s funding decision.
TELL US — DO YOU THINK GOVERNMENTS SHOULD CONTINUE FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE INVICTUS AUSTRALIA?
Originally reported by Vanshika Vasundhare Singh for Reality Tea
