A visibly tense Duke of Sussex created an acutely awkward moment at an Invictus Games reception in Germany, openly scolding guests for their late arrival with a jibe about them being "probably hammered." The incident unfolded just hours after a reportedly brief and underwhelming meeting with his father, King Charles III.
Footage from the event in Düsseldorf shows Harry taking to the microphone with a noticeably stern demeanour. Instead of a warm welcome, he launched into a public admonishment of the gathered crowd.
"You guys are late. I was waiting back there," he declared, before adding with a pointed tone, "I was like, 'where is everyone?' Oh, you're probably hammered already." The remark was met with a mixed reaction of nervous laughter and stunned silence from the audience, many of whom were veterans and their families.
A Shadow Cast by a Brief Reunion
The uncomfortable scene is believed to have been coloured by the Duke's earlier engagement. Harry had flown to the UK for a brief charity event but managed only a fleeting, "30-minute" meeting with the King at the monarch's London residence.
Reports suggest the encounter, their first in person for months, was far from the reconciliatory moment some might have hoped for. The pressure of the ongoing rift within the Royal Family appears to have set the stage for Harry's strained appearance later that evening in Germany.
The Invictus Games, founded by the Prince in 2014, is typically a platform where he appears most at ease, championing the cause of wounded servicemen and women. This public display of irritation marks a significant departure from his usual supportive and uplifting demeanour at the event, hinting at the personal pressures weighing on him.
