Katy Perry from the show.
“The choice to feature Ms. Perry at the Invictus Games feels at odds with the event’s mission to honor veterans and their sacrifices,” read a portion of a letter the disabled vet’s son sent to the Duke of Sussex, according to the Daily Mail.
The 85-year-old veteran, identified as Carl Westcott, is the former owner of Perry’s $15 million mansion in Montecito, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also reside. According to Westcott’s son, Chart Westcott, his father has been legally battling with Perry for four years over the property.
In November, details of their legal dispute emerged when Perry’s partner, Orlando Bloom, was subpoenaed to provide testimony for the singer. The battle reportedly centers on Carl’s claim that he was not in his best mental state when he decided to sell his house because he was taking significant medication after having back surgery, as per Lawyer Monthly.
In his letter, Chart questioned Prince Harry’s decision to include Perry — who is also gracing an ITV special this December — in the lineup because for him, everything that she’s doing to his father has been against what the Invictus is known for.
“While Ms. Perry’s participation may be seen as a gesture of for veterans, her relentless pursuit of our father in court tells a different story — one that deeply undermines the values the Games stand for,” Chart wrote. The retired U.S. Army soldier is already bedridden and “mentally incapacitated” due to his battle with Huntington’s disease. But Chart pointed out that his dad served the country honorably when he was well.
“Our father, who served honorably in the 101st Airborne Division, was one of the soldiers deployed by President Eisenhower to uphold civil rights during the Little Rock Nine crisis,” he wrote, before adding, that his dad’s “lifetime of entrepreneurship, for which he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Society for Distinguished Americans, embodies the resilience and values celebrated by the Invictus Games.”
Ahead of Carl and Perry’s second trial scheduled for early next year, Chart explained that his father is no longer capable of fully defending himself, and how this is quite painful for him and the rest of the family to witness. “As our father’s health declines, my brother and I are fighting to preserve his legacy, as a man and as a veteran, yet this legal struggle has become a source of immense pain for our family,” he indicated in his letter.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Chart slammed Perry for her alleged “lack of empathy” for his dad and their family, saying, “She doesn’t care about veterans, much less any of the folks who care to attend the Invictus Games.” He reminded Prince Harry in his letter of the values that the Invictus Foundation upholds, and insisted that letting Perry perform at the event does not align with them.
“While Ms. Perry’s participation may be seen as a gesture of for veterans, her relentless pursuit of our father in court tells a different story—one that deeply undermines the values the Games stand for.”
Neither Prince Harry or Perry have responded to Chart’s letter. It remains to be seen if the royal will listen to the Westcott family’s request. The “Roar” songstress — who is performing at the Invictus Games alongside Jelly Roll, and Noah Kahan — was allegedly “paid a great deal of money” to grace the yearly event. But no one, including Perry’s camp, has confirmed this yet.
Published: Dec 16, 2024 12:13 am