
Shelagh Fogarty 1pm - 4pm
8 February 2025, 23:29 | Updated: 8 February 2025, 23:47
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games, cheering on Team UK.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen cheering on the United Kingdom athletes at the Invictus Games opening ceremony.
The couple arrived at Vancouver for the nine-day sporting event, to watch more than 500 athletes competing from 23 countries.
The Invictus Games was created by the Prince in 2014 for wounded and sick service men and women.
The opening ceremony features athletes processing around the stadium, representing their countries.
Katy Perry, Coldplay's Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado are all set to play the ceremony.
The president of Boeing International, who is presenting the games, Brendan Nelson, said: "Prince Harry has given duty, courage, hope and love a name. Invictus."
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Prince Harry said in a speech: "In this moment of difficulty and division in many parts of the world, we gather here in Vancouver in a spirit of unity. We represent 23 nations.
"Speak many different languages and reflect the full breadth of the world’s religions and faiths.'Beyond any differences, here at the Invictus Games we are grounded in mutual respect, competing fiercely, but believing in one another. Supporting one another. And rooting for one another.
"The Games were born more than a decade ago, from a promise I made to myself.
"A promise to uphold my obligation—a sacred obligation after my own decade and privilege of military service —to do whatever I could to help my fellow brothers and sisters heal, and to champion everything we stand for.
"Over the past decade I’ve lost count of the times we’ve heard you tell us that the Invictus Games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree. Invictus didn’t save you. You saved yourself."