In just three months, Prince Harry could soon be back in the UK to celebrate a cause close to his heart – the Invictus Games.
The Duke of Sussex is expected to attend a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in London to mark the 10th anniversary of the games.
Meanwhile, a multi-million-pound government bid has also been made to see the games being hosted in the Midlands, in Birmingham, in 2027.
The cabinet office hopes to finance a four-year programme to improve the lives of veterans and civilians, which is a cause Prince Harry is passionate about.
As reported in the Times, a source close to the project said: “Harry has indicated that he is comfortable coming back for a British-based Invictus Games and we understand that the Games have always had the support of the rest of the royal family.”
Leading the Birmingham bid is Johnny Mercer, the minister for veterans’ affairs. He said: “It feels like the right time and the right place. The biggest power of recovery has always been in sport, has always been in Invictus and the Duke of Sussex led the way when he set these Games up ten years ago.
“It feels like a natural rounding of the circle to come back to the UK and we’re going to do everything we can to win the bid.”
Another supporter of Birmingham’s bid added: “Many others very much hope that this could provide a timeline for a way in which the duke and the rest of the royal family might find a way to come together in support of a worthwhile cause.”
On February 6, Prince Harry visited King Charles for a brief meeting at Clarence House a day after Buckingham Palace released a public statement informing of King Charles’s cancer diagnosis.
Harry returned to America the next day, and was seen yesterday evening at an American Football NFL awards ceremony to hand out the Walter Payton ‘Man of the Year’ award.
Prince Harry served two tours in Afghanistan with the British Army. Harry’s career in the military ended in 2015, just five years before he made the decision to step away from royal duties.
After spending 10 years in the military, Harry made the decision to use his own personal experience to create an event for others who have served, but adapting it in a way to suit wounded, injured or sick armed personnel.
The Invictus Games were first held in London in 2014, after Harry being inspired by the US Warrior Games, where wounded US servicemen and women compete in a Paralympic-style sporting competition.
At the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Prince Harry made his first public appearance with Meghan Markle, who was then his girlfriend.
The 2020 Games were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with one taking place in the Netherlands just last year.
