The Duke of Sussex participated in 'goat yoga' and endured water bomb attacks during his final public appearance on a family visit to the UK. Harry attended the Scotty's Little Soldiers summer festival at Maxstoke Castle, Warwickshire, on Saturday, less than 24 hours after a private family reunion with the King and Queen at Highgrove.
Goat Yoga Session
Participants at the festival were encouraged to 'channel the spirit' of goats during the yoga session. Harry approached the animal pen shouting, 'Let me in!' and asked, 'Is there health and safety? Do they bite?' Reassured that goats 'love love', he took his place on a blue mat and performed a variation of the tree pose, standing on one leg while making goat ears with his hands. Told to look into a goat's eyes, he successfully stared down one animal for some time, almost touching noses. He also lay on his back as goats trampled over him. When a goat stepped on his crotch, a spectator joked that his security team had failed to protect the 'crown jewels'. Harry shouted 'ow' and covered the area, asking the goat 'what are you doing?', prompting laughter.
Charity Work and Q&A
Harry, whose military service included two operational tours in Afghanistan, has worked with Scotty's Little Soldiers since 2017 and became global ambassador in 2023. After feeding the goats, he raced three-year-old River to an inflatable obstacle course, where he was pelted with water bombs. He gave hugs and posed for selfies. During a Q&A session, he revealed how he marks key anniversaries of his late mother and how he recovers from bad days. Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 when Harry was 12.
Advice on Difficult Days
Poppy, nine, whose father Able Seaman Daniel Turnbull died in July 2020 from leukaemia, asked what makes him laugh after a difficult day. Harry patted his heart and said, 'You know what, sometimes it's just a difficult day. It's not always possible to laugh but my dog makes me laugh, my children make me laugh, and if I need to laugh I'll probably put something really funny on the television. But, and this goes for all of you, there are some days when you'd like to laugh but it might not always be possible to laugh. But you've got brothers and sisters, friends, this community… but yes, I think the point is that a laugh at the end of a hard day is the best medicine served.'
Marking Anniversaries
Sebastian, 16, whose father Rev John Hill served in the Navy and died in June 2010, asked if Harry does anything special to mark the anniversary of his mother's death or her birthday. Harry revealed, 'Yes, we do lemon drizzle cake,' adding, 'I think traditions are really, really important, especially when they're sweet.'
Stress Relief
Joshua, 21, whose father Lance Corporal Christopher Bradshaw died in November 2011 in a road crash, asked how Harry destresses. The duke joked that he had to think carefully due to the presence of children of different ages but replied, 'Exercise is universally good for helping with grief, stress, loss. Whether it's going for a walk through nature, taking the dog for a walk or swimming in the cold sea – I love that – just to get yourself out and moving.' He said 'it's very easy to sit in your grief, to sit in your stress' but he had learned that it was better to do something, adding, 'Talking. Guys, if you're feeling it, share it.'
Commitment to Scotty's Little Soldiers
Asked why he remained involved with the UK-based charity, Harry said, 'I can relate to you guys, and the thing that I love about Scotty's is the fun and the sharing, and the community is the healing – and I hope you all feel that. It doesn't mean you aren't going to have hard days, it doesn't mean that you aren't going to have sad days. But the whole point about Scotty's is to point out that you guys are not alone in this. Grief and loss can feel incredibly isolating and very, very lonely, but look how many of you can share in this experience. So please reach out to each other. I love being here, this is the highlight of my month. Actually probably the last few months.'
Other UK Events
Harry started the one-year countdown to his Invictus Games for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans in host city Birmingham on Friday. The visit was the last in a week-long series of official events in the UK where he promoted charities close to his heart. Security issues prevented Meghan and their children travelling with Harry on Monday, but concerns over safety were mitigated to allow Friday's visit to Highgrove. On Tuesday, the duke lost his High Court claim, made with a group of celebrities, against the Daily Mail's publishers over alleged unlawful information gathering.
