This resulted in the Invictus Games losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. Iger reportedly made it clear to the organizers that Meghan Markle should not be given any airtime or allowed to speak at the closing ceremony. The strained relationship between the royals and Disney has been no secret since Harry and Meghan's controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey last year. In the interview, they accused the royal family of racism and lack of support, with Meghan expressing feelings of being unsupported by the institution during her struggles with her mental health. Disney, which had hoped to collaborate with the Sussexes on future projects, was clearly displeased with these accusations.
Bob Iger seemingly viewed Meghan's participation in the Invictus Games as an attempt to reinsert herself into royal engagements and responsibilities, despite having stepped away from official duties and relocated to the United States. He believed it showed poor judgment to shift the attention from the athletes to Meghan. Reports suggest that Iger's anger towards the couple over their accusations against the royal family during the Oprah interview played a significant role in his decision.
The withdrawal of Disney's sponsorship dealt a significant blow to the Invictus Games, which is a project close to Prince Harry's heart. Organizers had to scramble to find replacement sponsors at the last minute, and while they did receive support from other companies, filling the void left by Disney was challenging. Losing Disney's promotional machine also meant losing valuable exposure for the inspiring stories of these courageous veterans and their triumphs over adversity through sports.
Harry and Meghan were reportedly furious upon learning that Disney had pulled its support, particularly due to their previous collaborations, such as the documentary series about the Invictus Games. They felt betrayed by Disney after years of working together. However, this incident is ultimately a reflection of the ongoing fallout from Harry and Meghan's split with the royal family and their explosive claims made in the Oprah interview.
Disney, as a major media company based in the UK with interests in theme parks there, likely aimed to remain neutral and maintain a positive relationship with the British royals. However, the Oprah interview strained those ties and put companies like Disney in an uncomfortable position of choosing sides. Under Iger's leadership, Disney seemingly opted to support the palace over the Sussexes by pulling their sponsorship to prevent Meghan from having a platform to speak.
This situation underscores the significant damage caused by the Oprah interview and the public rift between the Sussexes and the royal family. Tensions between the two sides show no signs of easing, even over a year later, and major companies like Disney prefer not to be caught in the middle. Ultimately, this situation is detrimental to both sides, as the royal rift continues to play out in the global spotlight.
