Prince Harry has revealed that sport was the only reason he remained in school during his younger years, despite struggling with traditional classroom education. The Duke of Sussex, who attended prestigious institutions including Eton College, Ludgrove School, and Wetherby School, said he found lessons stifling and only stayed because of the sporting opportunities available.
Sport Held Me Together
Speaking to TIME magazine, Prince Harry explained: "Sport held me together. I was one of those kids at school who did not enjoy classroom work. If it wasn't for the sports field and the amount of sports that were on offer, there's no way I would have stayed in school."
The Duke grew up playing rugby, football, cricket, and polo, and has frequently spoken about the transformative power of sport. This passion led him to found the Invictus Games, an adaptive sports competition for wounded, injured, and sick armed forces personnel and veterans.
Invictus Games: Changing and Saving Lives
Prince Harry said the Invictus Games not only changes lives but also saves them. He noted: "That's not based on anything other than the amount of individuals that come up to me and say, 'If it wasn't for Invictus, I would have killed myself.'"
The Duke was inspired to create the international sporting event after attending the 2013 Warrior Games in the United States, where he witnessed the rehabilitative power of sport. He partnered with Sir Keith Mills, former Chair of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and worked alongside The Royal Foundation and the UK Ministry of Defence.
Recognition and Future Games
His work on Invictus led him to be named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026, alongside figures like LeBron James and Lionel Messi. The first Invictus Games took place in London in 2014 and have since toured the USA, Canada, Australia, and Germany. Next year, the Games will return to the UK in Birmingham, where royal watchers hope King Charles will make an appearance.
