Meghan Markle has returned to her home in Montecito, California, laden with gifts for her two young children, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet from her time at the Invictus Games.
In a rare snap of her Montecito home in California, the Duchess of Sussex posted a photo on her Instagram stories to suggest she had arrived home safely.
The image showed fruit in a bucket on the countertop, a view of the garden greenery out the window, and also special souvenirs from the event for Meghan and Harry’s children.
Treats included chocolate from Canadian brand, Tim Hortons, treats in the shape of bear paws, and a cuddly toy. Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, also received custom jerseys from Team Nigeria featuring their names. The personalised gifts were given to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at a wheelchair basketball event in Vancouver on February 9.
Meghan captioned her story: “A taste of Canada and The Invictus Games for our little ones! Cheering you on from home!”
Aides kept Meghan’s travel plans under wraps for security reasons, but it is understood it had always been planned she would leave the Invictus Games after the fifth day.
Meghan was at Harry’s side during the opening ceremony in Vancouver and gave a heartfelt introduction to her husband on the night of February 7.
Meghan shared her joy about her return to Canada before honouring her husband, Harry, 40. Meghan said: “We just arrived a couple of hours ago, and I touched Canadian soil, and I went, ‘Oh, feels like home'”.
Since launching her new Instagram earlier this year, the Duchess of Sussex has experimented with posting stories and reels on the platform. She was seen using her camera to film during the Invictus Games and shared her first Instagram stories at the event, including behind-the-scenes looks at the action.
However, as Patron of the Games, Harry is expected to remain in Canada for the remainder of the seventh edition of the tournament, which runs through Feb. 16.
This also means the Sussexes will be spending Valentine’s Day apart after Meghan returned alone to the couple’s £12million home.
As well as being an opportunity for men and women who serve in the armed forces and veterans to come together and enjoy sports competitively, the Invictus Games Foundation also helps people who were injured in conflict to move forward and focus on their recovery and future.
Over 500 competitors from over 20 nations are attending this year’s Games in Canada and will compete in adaptive sports. It is also the first-ever winter hybrid edition of the Games.
The closing ceremony will take place at Rogers Arena on February 16.