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The Invictus Games must distance themselves from Prince Harry after his ‘insensitive’ Taliban revelations threatened to damage the Army’s reputation, a public relations guru has warned.
Publicist Lynne Franks said the Duke of Sussex’s decision to reveal that he had killed 25 extremists while serving in Afghanistan “made him look like a complete idiot.”
Veterans and military chiefs reacted furiously when Harry’s ‘body count’ was revealed when copies of his Spare memoirs accidentally went on sale in Spain last week, saying it created a security risk at the upcoming Invictus tournament. .
Franks said he feared the fallout from the book would affect the Games, the international sports competition for injured, injured and sick veterans founded by Harry in 2014.
Publicist Lynne Franks said she feared the fallout from the book would affect the Games, the international sports competition for injured, injured and sick veterans founded by Harry in 2014. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will attend the games in the Netherlands in 2022.
Harry’s claims, including that he viewed Taliban fighters as “chess pieces” during operations, drew the ire of the Military community.
She added: “The revelations have done Harry and the Military no favours… they have made him look like a complete idiot.”
‘The Invictus Games is the best thing he’s ever done, so it would be a tragedy if his book affected them in any way. Would you advise them to distance themselves from Harry? For now I would.
‘I wouldn’t completely isolate him, I hope some bridges can be built, like with his family. There is a lot of healing to be done. But this is definitely not the right kind of advertising. His advisers should have been thinking about what this would do to the future ‘Harry brand’, and not about making a quick buck.’
Harry’s claims, including that he viewed Taliban fighters as “chess pieces” during operations, drew the ire of the Military community.
Royal Marine Ben McBean (centre) described the Prince’s decision to share the number of Taliban soldiers he had killed as “reckless”.
“His advisers should have been thinking about what this would do to the future ‘Harry brand’, and not make a quick buck,” added public relations expert Lynne Franks.
Ben McBean, a former Royal Marine and a friend of the prince, said: “Revealing certain information [is not] intelligent. Now obviously there is a backlash. It means we’re talking about the book, but for the wrong reasons.
Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative MP and former army captain, urged Harry to “clarify that it was unwise to make such comments” which were “out of step” with military behaviour.
This year’s Invictus Games will take place in Dusseldorf, Germany in September, with hundreds of veterans from 20 countries taking part.
Harry remains the sponsor of the Games and attended last year’s competition with his wife, Meghan.
The 2023 Invictus Games will take place in Düsseldorf, Germany in September. Prince Harry is photographed with a wheelchair basketball team
Traumatized veterans have sought professional help after becoming distraught over frank confessions, military mental health experts say.
Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, told the Sunday Mirror: “There will be serious security issues because of what he said.” Measures will have to be put in place to protect veterans.
There will be people who, given half the chance, will want to do something.’
Security adviser Stefan Bisanz, who has worked with the German Defense Ministry, added: “Everyone who invited him to attend a conference or an event, Prince Harry has now put them all in danger.”
The Invictus Games did not respond to requests for comment.
It came as traumatized veterans sought professional help after becoming distraught over the confessions, it was claimed.
Admiral Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, said: “There will be serious security issues because of what he said.
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Major Cormac Doyle, a mental health nurse who served in the army for 25 years, said: “I have already had calls from many of my former patients who are very upset by what Harry said.” Harry is meant to be a mental health advocate, so what he said was misconstrued.
Jeff Williams, a former Master Sergeant in the Royal Marines and founder of the support group Veterans United Against Suicide, said: “For many veterans, this will bring back terrible memories of killing and losing friends in combat.”
“I am surprised that Harry, who is supposed to be a mental health activist, has not realized this. He is rude in the extreme. It’s about making money through book sales. He has gone from hero to zero in a boastful move.
Derek Hunt, whose son Nathan served as a bomb disposal expert in Harry’s unit in 2008 but committed suicide in 2018, said he was “shocked” by the revelations.
He said: ‘Nobody I’ve ever met in the Armed Forces has ever talked about a count of people they’ve killed like that. It is unworthy.
This is not how soldiers behave. Many soldiers and veterans will find your comments about killing very disturbing and [they] maybe it can even cause some people to have flashbacks.