Prince Harry has spoken about how he lost "purpose and identity" when he stepped away from a role he loved. The Duke of Sussex said his sense of self suffered when he left the British Army.
Speaking to Nato's military committee in Brussels via a video call, Harry said he wanted the Invictus Games to be a platform for others who may be struggling with their identity. He is set to stage the next edition of the tournament in Birmingham in 2027 and told the panel he considers himself "fortunate" that he had "another way to serve" by helping others.
Transition after service
Speaking about military leaders when they leave the forces, he said: "We must think just as seriously about what happens to them after they have served — particularly when they return wounded, injured or sick.
"I know something about that transition.
"When I hung up my uniform, I felt as though I had lost not simply a profession, but part of my purpose and identity. I was fortunate. I had another way to serve."
Nato's common ground with Invictus
The Duke stressed the importance of Nato, saying it shared common ground with Invictus, adding: "At its heart, Nato is an alliance of nations
"But those nations are defended by people. People who volunteer to serve. People who train together, deploy together, fight together and, in many cases, recover together. And families who serve alongside them in ways that are rarely acknowledged.
"And, ultimately, people who come home."
Harry said he believes more attention must be placed on what happens after personnel leave the military, and not just preparing them to start their journeys.
Mission beyond sport
"Invictus is not a sporting event," he said. "Sport is one of our tools. Our mission is much bigger. We rebuild purpose. We rebuild confidence. We strengthen families and communities. We connect veterans back into society.
"That matters to Nato. Because the strength of an alliance cannot only be measured by the forces it can deploy.
"It must also be measured by the people and societies those forces return home to."
The Duke, who stepped down as a working royal in 2020, staged the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014 to help wounded, injured and sick former and current service personnel.
