The Duke of Sussex hailed his Invictus Games’ belief in the “unconquered human spirit” just moments after a High Court judge dismissed his claim against the Daily Mail’s publishers over alleged unlawful information gathering. Despite the loss, Harry appeared relaxed and even joked about the heatwave, telling delegates at the Invictus Games conference that the room was one of the “few” in the UK with air conditioning, “so I can understand why every seat is full”.
Court Ruling and Reactions
Harry had arrived at Chatham House in London about an hour before the highly anticipated judgment was released. He was part of a group of household names, including Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost, who alleged that private investigators, freelance journalists and staff at Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) had engaged in unlawful information gathering such as voicemail interception, landline tapping and “blagging”. ANL denied the claims and argued they had been brought too late. Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that none of the seven had proven the allegations.
Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre, now ANL’s editor-in-chief, called the ruling “a momentous victory for the Mail” and “an overwhelming vindication of our journalism”. In a joint statement, Harry and Baroness Lawrence said: “It is a complete and obvious whitewash, but sadly not altogether unexpected.”
Rare UK Visit for Invictus Games
The duke was making a rare appearance in the UK for a week-long series of events marking a year until Birmingham hosts the Invictus Games, a Paralympics-style event launched by Harry in 2014 to aid the recovery of injured or sick military veterans and servicemen and women. After a private 45-minute meeting with a number of UK and foreign ministers for veterans, he took to the stage and told delegates: “Every one of us believes that those who have served their country, and in particular those whose lives have been changed by that service, deserve more than our gratitude. They deserve opportunity. The chance to redefine one’s purpose and identity. They deserve to truly feel our admiration and respect. And they deserve every chance to build the life they choose beyond military service. That’s what the Invictus community is all about.”
In a lighter moment, when Uganda was named as the latest member of the Invictus family, Harry posed for a picture with delegates from the country, holding a roundel with the nation’s name, and made the guests laugh as he jokingly held it like a frisbee.
Message of Unity
Harry ended his speech with the words: “I hope you leave this conference with a deeper understanding of what the Invictus movement really is. Not simply a week of sport every two years, but a community united by one belief: that the unconquered human spirit exists in every nation and that our shared responsibility is to create the conditions in which it can flourish.” The event brought together members of the Invictus community, leading experts and policymakers, including UK minister for veterans and people Calvin Bailey, to discuss issues affecting wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne was seen entering Chatham House to meet his client, and the duke missed around 10 minutes of the conference’s second panel discussion.
Speculation on Family Meetings
There will be intense media scrutiny of the former working royal during his long-planned trip to the UK, with mounting speculation about whether he will see his father the King or briefly bring his family to the UK. The duke was reportedly staying at his holiday home in Portugal with the Duchess of Sussex and their children ahead of the trip. Harry remains estranged from his brother the Prince of Wales, and it is highly unlikely the pair will meet. While Harry was delivering his speech, William was visiting The London Welsh School in Hanwell, West London.
Harry arrived in London on Monday without Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who did not travel because of security concerns. Following a public dispute with Buckingham Palace about royal residence accommodation, the duke has arranged a private place to stay. He spent his first night in the capital attending the premiere of Shoot the People, a documentary about his photographer friend Misan Harriman, the outgoing chairman of the Southbank Centre, who has been embroiled in a spat with a number of national newspapers.
This week the duke will take part in various public and private activities relating to the Invictus Games, culminating with the one-year-to-go event in Birmingham. He is also due to attend events with WellChild and Scotty’s Little Soldiers, charities he supports.
