Prince Harry thanks departing Invictus Games boss amid row over veterans’ award

Jane Dalton

18 July 2024 at 7:01 pm·2-min read

The Duke of Sussex has thanked the Invictus Games Foundation’s chief executive after the charity’s boss announced he was stepping down.

Harry said he was immensely grateful to his friend Dominic Reid for transforming the Paralympic-style sporting competition for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans from an ambitious idea into a global movement.

The prince said in a statement: “His tireless efforts over the past decade have supported thousands of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans through sports rehabilitation, helping to showcase their unparalleled strength and contribution to society.”

He added: “We pray we don’t need the Games for another 10 years, but thanks to you, the team and our future CEO, we will be ready.”

The duke, who founded Invictus in 2014, has this month faced an angry backlash for accepting an honour, the Pat Tillman Award, for his work on the games.

The award is named after the late Pat Tillman, an American footballer who gave up his career to serve in the US military after 9/11. He was later killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

The award is given to veterans who have had an impact through sport, but many argued that there were more deserving recipients. A petition against giving Harry the honour has attracted at least 77,000 names.

Mr Tillman’s mother, Mary, said: “I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award.”

The former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord Alan West, urged Harry to decline the award as it would not “travel well with people in the military”.

Harry, who also served in Afghanistan, set up the Invictus Games after seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on competitive sports.

Since 2014 in London, the tournament has also been held in Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, the Hague and Dusseldorf. The first Winter hybrid Games will be hosted in Vancouver and Whistler in 2025.

Preparations are under way to announce the host city for the 2027 Games, with Birmingham and Washington DC on the shortlist.

The Telegraph
Videos show North Koreans in Ukrainian trenches as Russia ‘hides casualties’
North Korean soldiers have been filmed storming Ukrainian trenches as reports emerge of Kim Jong-un’s troops suffering significant losses.
Business Insider
How America's ally in Syria may have downed a $30 million Reaper drone
The US's advanced MQ-9 Reaper drone suffered another downing, this time at the hands of its partner in Syria.
Euronews
Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops in country
Syria’s new transitional government says there is no place for Russian presence in Syria a week after the country’s long-time President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. The new government also says it is open to engage in contacts with all countries to pave Syria’s new future.View on euronews
The Telegraph
Ukraine unveils laser weapon ‘based on UK prototypes’
Ukraine has developed a cutting-edge laser weapon that is ready to shoot down Russian jets, a military commander has revealed.
INSIDER
Ukraine says it busted a Russian spy ring that was gathering information about its F-16s
A network of spies working for Russia's military intelligence was trying to find the location of airfields used to keep its F-16s, Ukraine said.
Reuters
NATO takes over coordination of military aid to Kyiv from US, source says
BERLIN (Reuters) -NATO has taken over coordination of Western military aid to Ukraine from the U.S. as planned, a source said on Tuesday, in a move widely seen as aiming to safeguard the support mechanism against NATO sceptic U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. The step, coming after a delay of several months, gives NATO a more direct role in the war against Russia's invasion while stopping well short of committing its own forces. Diplomats, however, acknowledge that the handover to NATO may have a limited effect given that the U.S. under Trump could still deal a major setback to Ukraine by slashing its support, as it is the alliance's dominant power and provides the majority of arms to Kyiv.
The Telegraph
Ukraine kills Russian nuclear general in Moscow scooter bomb attack
A senior Russian general in charge of the military’s nuclear and chemical weapons division has been killed in a scooter bomb attack claimed by Ukraine.
Business Insider
The US military is sending counter-drone systems to New Jersey bases. Here's how the Dronebuster works.
A Pentagon spokesperson said the military is sending counter-drone systems to Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle.
Associated Press
Russia says it has detained a suspect in the Moscow bombing that killed a senior general
Russia's security service said Wednesday it detained a citizen from Uzbekistan in the bombing that killed a senior general as he left his southeastern Moscow apartment — a bold assassination that was claimed by Ukraine's security service. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov was killed Tuesday by a bomb hidden on an electric scooter outside his apartment building, a day after Ukraine’s security service leveled criminal charges against him. The brazen bombing brought the nearly 3-year-old war in Ukraine once again to the streets of the capital.
ABC News
High-tech radar used in Ukraine-Russia war to be deployed to crack Northeast drone mystery
State-of-the-art drone-hunting technology being used on the battlefield in Ukraine could soon be deployed to crack the mystery behind a spate of unmanned flying objects purportedly spotted in the skies over New Jersey, New York and other Northeast cities, experts said. New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deploy the Robin Radar System to assist investigators in getting to the bottom of who is behind the alleged drones that residents and local and state officials say have been flying over communities at night since mid-November. "I want to see a flock of Robin-like technology systems deployed across the New York city metropolitan area so we need the Department of Homeland Security to spring into action," Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor on Monday.
Reuters
Arms control is thing of the past, Russia's top general says
Russia now views arms control over the vast nuclear arsenals that were built up during the Cold War to be a thing of the past due to the lack of trust between Moscow and the West, Russia's top general said on Wednesday. Russia and the United States, by far the biggest nuclear powers, have both expressed regret about the disintegration of the tangle of arms control treaties which sought to slow the arms race and reduce the risk of nuclear war. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov accused the United States of stoking conflicts across the world and sinking key Cold War arms control treaties.
INSIDER
Russia appears to be packing up its helicopters and air defenses at its base in Syria, new satellite images show
Russia's military presence at two key bases in Syria fell into uncertainty after the Assad regime fell last weekend.
Reuters
Ukraine says it uncovered 12 agents spying for Russia on F-16s, air defences
It detained the alleged organiser and four key accomplices on suspicion of treason and sharing information about the location of Ukrainian military, according to a statement on the Telegram messaging app. The network members worked separately to track down military airfields and air defence locations across five regions in Ukraine's south and northeast, as well as the addresses of companies working on electronic warfare.
Associated Press
A couple hundred North Korean troops killed, wounded in battles with Ukrainian forces
A couple hundred North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine have been killed or wounded during battle in the Kursk border region, a senior military official said Tuesday. The official didn't provide details on exactly how many have been killed, but said the North Korean forces don't appear to be battle-hardened, which contributes to the number of casualties they've had. The official was providing the first significant estimate of North Korean casualties, which comes several weeks after Ukraine announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war.
Euronews
'They can just take you': Ukrainian soldier faces redeployment to frontlines as Russians advance
Ukrainian soldier Mykola reveals forced redeployments to the frontlines, highlighting a lack of training, strained resources, and dwindling morale.View on euronews
Reuters
Denmark warns of increased risk of Arctic military confrontation due to Russia's aggression
Denmark, which oversees security in and around Greenland, on Wednesday warned of a heightened risk of military confrontation in the Arctic, driven by aggressive threatening behaviour by Russia. An annual report by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service said security tensions were spreading to the Arctic, with Russia adopting a riskier approach and minimal international cooperation. "Russia prioritises the region and will demonstrate strength through aggressive and threatening behaviour, which will entail a greater risk of escalation than previously seen in the Arctic," the report said.
Business Insider
Drones are buzzing around US military bases, even forcing one to close its airspace. They reflect a growing problem.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio was forced to briefly close its airspace over the weekend after drones were spotted in the area.
The Independent
Taiwan receives first batch of 108 Abrams tanks from US
A US military staple, the Abrams are the first new tanks delivered to Taiwan in 30 years
Evening Standard
Russia vows revenge on Ukraine after general assassinated in Moscow with e-scooter bomb
Ukrainian prosecutors had charged Igor Kirillov in absentia over the alleged use of banned chemical weapons in Ukraine
The Telegraph
Smouldering aftermath of Israel’s biggest bombing raid reveals Syria’s military dilemmas
The locals had no idea what it was the Israelis dropped on the Syrian military base at Bimalkah. They just knew it produced a series of almighty and rather terrifying explosions.

Quick, order your John Lewis gifts by Thursday to ensure they get there in time

Prince Harry thanks departing Invictus Games boss amid row over veterans’ award

Latest stories

Videos show North Koreans in Ukrainian trenches as Russia ‘hides casualties’

How America's ally in Syria may have downed a $30 million Reaper drone

Syria's new government says Russia should 'reconsider' its troops in country

Ukraine unveils laser weapon ‘based on UK prototypes’

Ukraine says it busted a Russian spy ring that was gathering information about its F-16s

NATO takes over coordination of military aid to Kyiv from US, source says

Ukraine kills Russian nuclear general in Moscow scooter bomb attack

The US military is sending counter-drone systems to New Jersey bases. Here's how the Dronebuster works.

Russia says it has detained a suspect in the Moscow bombing that killed a senior general

High-tech radar used in Ukraine-Russia war to be deployed to crack Northeast drone mystery

Arms control is thing of the past, Russia's top general says

Russia appears to be packing up its helicopters and air defenses at its base in Syria, new satellite images show

Ukraine says it uncovered 12 agents spying for Russia on F-16s, air defences

A couple hundred North Korean troops killed, wounded in battles with Ukrainian forces

'They can just take you': Ukrainian soldier faces redeployment to frontlines as Russians advance

Denmark warns of increased risk of Arctic military confrontation due to Russia's aggression

Drones are buzzing around US military bases, even forcing one to close its airspace. They reflect a growing problem.

Taiwan receives first batch of 108 Abrams tanks from US

Russia vows revenge on Ukraine after general assassinated in Moscow with e-scooter bomb

Smouldering aftermath of Israel’s biggest bombing raid reveals Syria’s military dilemmas