Meghan and Harry hit the slopes in Whistler and are serenaded with God Save the King as they promote next Invictus Games

15 February 2024, 10:55

Harry and Meghan enjoyed a two-day trip in Whistler
Harry and Meghan enjoyed a two-day trip in Whistler. Picture: Getty

By Asher McShane

Harry and Meghan were serenaded with God Save The King as they took to the slopes in Whistler to promote the next Invictus Games.

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The couple went to the resort in British Columbia for a two day trip from California because for the first time next year’s Invictus Games will involve winter sports.

Harry had a turn at sit-skiing and joked before he set off: “Do I need to sign a waiver?”

The Invictus Games competitors training event in Canada marks one year until the global sporting event.

Harry and the Duchess of Sussex met athletes at the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort in British Columbia on Wednesday.

Harry had a turn at sit-skiing during the trip
Harry had a turn at sit-skiing during the trip. Picture: Getty

The couple plan to visit more competitors at the host locations for the 2025 competition - the winter sports town of Whistler and the city of Vancouver in western Canada.

Harry founded the Paralympic-style sporting competition in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans to aid their recovery.

At the Games next year around 550 competitors from up to 25 nations will compete in indoor adaptive events like sitting volleyball, swimming and wheelchair basketball, and for the first time winter sports like alpine skiing, snowboarding and wheelchair curling will be on the schedule.

Harry and Meghan hand-in-hand on the snow in Whistler
Harry and Meghan hand-in-hand on the snow in Whistler. Picture: Getty

Sit skis enable people who might usually use a wheelchair or find it difficult to stand for long periods to ski, both with and without assistance.

The week has seen a flurry of announcements from the Sussexes with the duchess signing a deal with Lemonada Media to record new podcast shows, with the company also distributing her previous series.

Meghan's Archetypes podcast about female stereotypes ran for just one series before her lucrative deal with Spotify ended in 2023.

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The couple were there promoting next year's Invictus Games
The couple were there promoting next year's Invictus Games. Picture: Getty

The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, the name of their foundation, rebranding it as "The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex".

The launch of the site comes as the King's slimmed-down monarchy has been put under pressure, with Charles postponing all public-facing duties due to his cancer diagnosis and the Princess of Wales out of action for the immediate future following abdominal surgery.

Harry, who lives in California with his wife and their two children - Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet - flew to the UK last week to meet with the King following his diagnosis.

He made the visit without Meghan and their children less than 24 hours after the announcement about Charles' health was made to the nation by Buckingham Palace.

But there was no meeting with his brother, the Prince of Wales, after Harry spent around 45 minutes at Clarence House seeing their father.