Prince Harry participated in a series of sporting activities at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham on Friday morning as part of the One Year to Go events for the Invictus Games. The Duke of Sussex tried his hand at pickleball, laser run, wheelchair rugby, and even raced against Invictus Games medallist JJ Chalmers.
Pickleball and Laser Run
Harry showed his competitive side during a game of pickleball, one of two new sports to be featured at the games in 2027. He also aimed a laser pistol as part of the shooting aspect of laser run. Helen Helliwell, chief executive officer of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, opened the event by stating: “Invictus has always been more than a week of games. It transforms lives not only for competitors but for their families.”
Race Against JJ Chalmers
The Duke then challenged his long-time friend JJ Chalmers to a running race around the NEC. The two met “at the side of a swimming pool” at Lympstone Commando Training Centre while preparing for the Royal Marine rehabilitation triathlon after Chalmers was injured by a bomb explosion in Afghanistan in 2011.
Meghan Markle’s Absence
Originally, the Duchess of Sussex was expected to attend alongside Harry, but she did not fly to the UK with him earlier this week due to security concerns. She is expected to fly to the UK later today with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, but will not appear in public.
Legal Setback
Harry’s appearance comes after he lost his High Court privacy battle against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL). The Duke claimed 14 different articles were based on information obtained through unlawful methods, but all claims were dismissed. Other high-profile claimants, including Sir Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, also had their claims dismissed.
