Critics Claim Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Tried to “Upstage” Prince George

“He wants to steal the thunder with his Invictus Games announcement.

On July 22, Prince George celebrated his 11th birthday, and his parents shared a new portrait of the young royal on Instagram. The black and white portrait was captured by George’s mom, Princess Kate, and the prince looked smart in a shirt and suit. However, according to some critics, George’s special day was allegedly undermined by his uncle and aunt, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

During an appearance on his show Outspoken, journalist Dan Wootton suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had overshadowed Prince George’s birthday (via the Express). According to Wooton, Harry’s decision to make an announcement about the Invictus Games on George’s birthday was not only insensitive, but also intentional.

“Prince Harry upstaged young Prince George’s lovely birthday release of those pictures by Catherine Middleton by announcing on the same day that the Invictus Games are going to be held in Birmingham in 2027,” Wooton explained during the episode. He continued, “It does just show you how pathetic Prince Harry is. He knew it was George’s birthday, he knew the picture was going to be released.”

Determined to suggest that the Duke of Sussex purposefully chose George’s birthday to share his news, Wootton claimed, “He wants to steal the thunder with his Invictus Games announcement. It’s just pathetic game playing yet again.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend the ESPY Awards

During Wootton’s show, royal author Angela Levin also weighed in on the Sussexes and their decision to make an important announcement on Prince George’s birthday. “It’s such a shame,” Levin told the host. She continued by alleging that the Duchess of Sussex “likes” to upstage the royals, saying, “Every time the royal family do something, she has to do something just before and it’s all carefully controlled. I’ve been told many times she knows exactly what she’s doing, it’s not a mistake, she’s very cautious.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry continue to face criticism from some royal family fans

Sharing the news that the Invictus Games would be taking place in Birmingham in England in 2027, Prince Harry said (via the BBC), “We have no doubt the people of Birmingham will join in celebrating the unwavering respect and admiration we have for our veteran and service community, showing the world how their courage ignites hope and unites us all—something your city knows well.”

Obviously, there is zero evidence that Meghan and Harry wanted to ruin Prince George’s birthday in any way. Instead, it seems as though Harry simply had an announcement to make about the Invictus Games, and it coincidentally needed to be made on George’s birthday. Still, a lack of evidence is unlikely to quieten any critics of the couple.