Uganda pulling out of Prince Harry's Invictus Games, says military chief
The decision, announced by the chief of defence, comes just two months after Uganda said it would participate.
Uganda withdraws from Prince Harry's Invictus Games, military chief says
Prince Harry said in July that Uganda had joined the Invictus Games
Uganda is pulling out of the Invictus Games, a sporting event for wounded military veterans run by the Duke of Sussex, just two months after the country said it would take part.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of defence and son of the African nation's president, announced the move in a post on X.
He said the withdrawal was being made "in order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III".
A spokesman for the Uganda government confirmed this to the BBC: "General Kainerugaba decides whether or not the UPDF [Uganda People's Defence Force] participates in the Invictus Games. What you saw is his stated position. If it changes, he will let the world know."
The Ugandan military chief's statement comes after a letter sent this week on behalf of the King made clear that Prince Harry and Meghan, who have now returned to the UK, were not working royals.
A report in The Times quoted the general's concerns about the "Harry-Meghan nonsense", implying this was behind the decision.
"In order not to be construed as being opposed to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, whom we deeply revere, Uganda hereby withdraws from the Invictus Games," the general said in an overnight post.
"We shall not participate in anything that does not have His Majesty's approval."
Royal sources, however, have said the King supports all projects that help wounded service personnel.
A spokesman for the Invictus Games said they had not received any official notice of a possible withdrawal and had been seeking clarification from their contacts in Uganda.
Among other X posts from General Kainerugaba on Thursday was one saying: "I consider myself the most handsome, most daring and glorious Commander who ever lived."
He also posted a series of angry messages about other generals who had danced without his permission.
Uganda's participation in the next games, due to be held in Birmingham next year, was announced in July, when Prince Harry was in London promoting the sporting event, which honours the resilience and rehabilitation of wounded military men and women.
Uganda became the 26th country to take part in the games.