Prince Harry has named a TV executive as the new chief executive of his first Invictus Winter Games and will head to Canada with Meghan Markle next week amid claims the appointment helps them push through a major new streaming deal. , MailOnline can reveal today.
Scott Moore replaces the Duke of Sussex’s friend and former aide Nick Booth, who took over on a temporary basis last year amid chaos at the top when two bosses were abruptly sacked in the autumn.
Moore’s appointment came as Harry embarked on an 11,000-mile round trip to the UK to see his father for 45 minutes after he was diagnosed with cancer.
The Duke of Sussex has not seen his estranged brother, Prince William, and is already back in Montecito with his wife and children before the couple heads to Vancouver and Whistler next week for Invictus celebrations ‘one year away’ ‘Valentine’s Day. Canada is where Harry and Meghan fell in love while she was filming Suits in Toronto.
Invictus 2025’s new chief executive, Scott Moore, has a reputation for landing big sports television deals and overseeing coverage of numerous Olympic and Paralympic Games, the FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games while he was head of broadcaster CBC public of Canada.
Insiders have said her appointment is a big sign that Harry and Meghan will use their ‘star power’ and ties to win a big streaming deal for Invictus 2025, which will feature winter sports for the first time, likely with Netflix in first place. rejection.
Last September, Invictus Dusseldorf broadcast its ceremonies and sports via its website. The BBC also showed the events via Red Button and iPlayer, but it was not widely broadcast on German television.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline: “Harry’s latest move in signing Scott Moore shows he is one step closer to launching the Games with a big TV deal.”
Prince Harry has named a television executive with 40 years of experience, Scott Moore, the new CEO of the Invictus Games in 2025. Experts say Moore is a negotiator who has managed coverage of the Olympics and the World Cup soccer.
The couple clearly enjoyed being back in Canada in December for an NHL game. It is the country where Meghan worked as an actress and they fell in love. They will return next week.
‘We have seen lately how Amazon, Netflix and now Disney have secured the rights to major television sporting events and know that there is money and also subscriptions at stake with the right sports.
“Now that the Invictus Games have been earmarked to also host a winter event, they are starting to eclipse both the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games and may become a major television event with the likes of Scott behind them.
‘Harry and Meghan have the star power to drive games and as we know, it’s Harry’s sweet spot and something he’s clearly passionate about. The documentary he made for Netflix was not the success expected, but he did what he had to do: inform and educate people about games, their purpose and also their importance.”
But if Harry is pushing for a more global audience and broader coverage in North America, Netflix will be at the front of the queue and Disney is also expected to make a bid and the couple hopes the new CEO’s influence can help them next. after his documentary Invictus was released. considered a failure.
Moore’s appointment came after chief executive Peter Lawless and commercial director Bill Cooper abruptly left in the autumn.
Inside sources told MailOnline that the pair were sacked “for no reason” and warned that while Scott is a “star hire”, there are concerns about the management of the Games with just 12 months to go.
A source told MailOnline: ‘Scott has a lot of experience. In my opinion, the only clouds on the horizon are: how late they are fixing the unrest they unnecessarily created and how little local representation they have in senior leadership, but I think that’s intentional on Nick’s part.
Nick Booth, described as Harry’s former “right-hand man”, took over as interim chief executive. Booth, who also runs a national Canadian charity called the True Patriot Love Foundation, headed the Prince William and Prince Harry Foundation between 2010 and 2017. He also helped initiate Harry’s creation of the Invictus Games for injured veterans. The Harry and William Foundation broke up after he married Meghan Markle.
Starting Monday, the ‘One Year to Go’ events for Invictus Games 2025 will take place.
During the week there will be sporting and cultural events in downtown Whistler. Harry and Meghan will arrive by plane on February 14.
New CEO Scott Moore said: “I am delighted to be joining the team at Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025.
‘I look at this opportunity through the lens of a mission, and I simply can’t think of one more important than this.
“I am impressed with the existing team and look forward to joining and working together to deliver a world-class Games.”
The Duke of Sussex with Nick Booth when he ran the Royal Foundation with Harry and William, a former royal aide to him and his brother. Booth ran Invictus 2025 in Vancouver-Whistler for a few months after the last executive director abruptly left.
The last CEO, Peter Lawless (pictured with Justin Trudeau), left abruptly. Insiders claim he was fired. Invictus says he made the ‘transition’ and will be an ambassador
MailOnline revealed in December how one of Prince Harry’s most trusted British aides, who also served the Prince and Princess of Wales for years, had taken over running the upcoming Invictus Games in Canada amid turmoil in the event.
Nick Booth took over the top job after two top executives, CEO Peter Lawless and chief commercial officer Bill Cooper, abruptly left in the fall.
Executives at the top of Invictus Vancouver were never told why they were fired and believed they were performing well, another source claimed.
Bill Cooper, who served as commercial director for ten months until he left in October
‘It’s less than a year away. Management staff have been dismissed without cause and until now they had an interim CEO. Invictus celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024 and has done great things for injured veterans. “Harry and the Foundation have to take steps to ensure his legacy is not tarnished,” the source said.
Bill Cooper and Peter Lawless declined to comment on their departures.
An insider said: “The elimination of their positions as part of a reorganization came as a surprise and disappointment given that they had been working on the project since the tender and their areas of responsibility were in good health at the time of the dismissal.” ‘.
A source said Nick Booth, a former royal aide to William and Harry, was instrumental in the change at the top and is still pushing for the change.
‘I don’t think the decision was made by Harry. I think it was mainly driven by the True Patriot Love Foundation, which chairs the local board of directors that was created for the organization of the 2025 Games. “They are the national controlling party for this specific set of Games and such decisions will be led by them.” , they said.
‘Nick Booth is in charge and they were given no reason for his dismissal. It can only be logical that True Patriot Love wants more control; “They clearly want a very hands-on involvement despite having a local organizing committee.”
Last year, another whistleblower said morale among Vancouver-Whistler staff was now “at an all-time low.” He said: ‘Nick used to work at the Royal Foundation before he left and headed to Canada. Harry trusts him completely, but the changes have unsettled the staff, especially after two beloved bosses left.
Booth, who also runs a national Canadian charity called the True Patriot Love Foundation, headed the Prince William and Prince Harry Foundation from 2010 to 2017. He also helped initiate Harry’s creation of the Invictus Games for injured veterans.
The Royal Foundation created by Harry and William was originally launched in 2009 by the brothers, with Kate joining when she became the Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 and Meghan when she became the Duchess of Sussex in May 2018.