The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have returned to Canada for the 2025 Invictus Games, marking another chapter in Prince Harry’s international sporting event for wounded, injured, and sick service members and veterans.
Just hours after arriving in Vancouver, Meghan Markle took the stage at a welcome reception on February 7 to give an impromptu introduction to Prince Harry. Speaking to athletes and their families, the Duchess expressed her joy at being back in Canada.
“I was not planning on speaking tonight,” she said, wearing a chocolate plum A.L.C. “Willow” sleeveless midi dress. “We just arrived a couple of hours ago, and I touched Canadian soil, and I went, ‘Oh, feels like home.'”
She acknowledged the excitement and exhaustion of those who had traveled for the games, calling the week ahead “one of the most outstanding, memorable, unforgettable and connected weeks” for both athletes and their loved ones.
Meghan then turned her attention to her husband, introducing him as someone who means a great deal to both her and the Invictus community. “You will see him throughout this week,” she said, joking that he would likely be curling, cheering at wheelchair basketball, and maybe even trying skeleton sledding—“the thing I would never do.”
She also shared a glimpse of Harry’s dedication to the event in the weeks leading up, balancing fatherhood with preparations. “In the morning rush, getting ready for school, packing the lunchboxes, making breakfast—my husband is in all of that,” she said. She recalled Archie questioning why his father was always on the phone, to which Harry would reply, “Because it’s Invictus, I’m getting ready for Invictus.”
Meghan emphasized the deep meaning the games hold for Harry, saying, “You are his family, just as we are his family.” She highlighted how much passion and effort he has poured into the event before welcoming him to the stage: “It is my entire pleasure and complete honor to introduce to the stage my husband, the father of our very sweet, excited children who are cheering you on from California, Prince Harry, founder of the Invictus Games, the Duke of Sussex.”
As the crowd applauded, Harry took the stage, exchanged a quick kiss with Meghan, and greeted the audience. “What a beautiful sight,” he remarked before engaging with the crowd. “Are you all tired?” he asked, receiving cheers in response. “Team Canada’s not tired!”
The couple’s appearance marked their first official public outing together in nearly six months. Previously, they had visited Colombia to promote causes such as online safety, military support, and women’s empowerment. They were also seen supporting wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Harry, a former British army captain, founded the Invictus Games in 2014 after being inspired by the U.S. Armed Forces’ Warrior Games. Meghan first attended in 2017, making her debut at the Toronto event, which also served as the couple’s first official public appearance together.
This year’s games, running from February 8-16 in Vancouver and Whistler, mark the first time the competition has returned to a previous host country. They also introduce winter sports for the first time, including alpine skiing, snowboarding, curling, and skeleton.
Dominic Reid, the outgoing CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, praised Harry’s dedication to the event, saying he has “created extraordinary opportunities” for veterans and service members, making them feel “seen, heard, and cared for.”
