Prince Harry issues legal letter over reports Netflix deal ended Invictus Games fundraiser
Prince Harry has sent a legal letter to The Sunday Times over its report that his deal with Netflix scuppered a fundraiser for Invictus Games planned with Amazon Prime.
The newpaper reported that the games, which were set up by Prince Harry, planned to host a fundraising concert in Los Angeles in spring 2021, which would have been streamed on Prime.
The event has been cancelled, with The Sunday Times claiming a lawyer for the Sussexes said it represented a “conflict” multi-year deal with Netflix, a rival of Prime.
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But the Duke of Sussex has made it clear that the two were not linked and issued a legal complaint to the paper.
A spokesman for Invictus Games said: “The event was shelved because the primary revenue generator was ticket sales from a live concert in Los Angeles in the spring of 2021. Given current circumstances with COVID, the event needed to be reconceptualised.
“This was an independent decision made prior to a partnership with Netflix. The duke remains committed as ever to the Invictus Games.”
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Harry and Meghan have signed a huge deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, scripted series and children’s programming and already have at least two projects underway.
The couple will be setting up their own production company, as yet unnamed.
The letter is the latest in a show from the couple that they will be much tougher in their responses since leaving their senior royal duties in March.
In July, Harry wrote a letter to Republic, a campaign group which wants to see the end of the monarchy, over its criticism of the way the couple’s Sussex Royal foundation was funded by the Royal Foundation.
Republic had written to the Charity Commission to ask them to investigate whether charity law was breached when the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge awarded grants to Sussex Royal and Travalyst.
Harry’s legal team called the claim “deeply offensive” and Kensington Palace said the grants were “fully in line” with UK law.
The duke, 35, is also part of a legal battle against the owners of The Sun, The Mirror and the defunct News of the World, for alleged phone hacking.
And the Duchess of Sussex, 39, is involved in a series of cases, including one against Splash News and Pictures Agency for photos of her and the couple’s son Archie as they were walking in Canada.