The Duke of Sussex demonstrated impressive wheelchair rugby skills during a victorious exhibition match in Birmingham, officially launching the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games. Harry, playing with evident enthusiasm, rushed around the court, crashed into opponents, and scored tries as part of a team that won 7-1.
Notably absent was the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, who had been expected to attend the event but did not fly to the UK with Harry earlier in the week due to security concerns. However, it is now widely anticipated that Meghan will travel with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in the coming days, fuelling rumours of a potential meeting between King Charles III and his grandchildren.
Harry's Family and Emotional Reflections
During an interview with ITV's This Morning, presenter Alison Hammond suggested to Harry that his family must appreciate him. Harry responded, "They don't tell me everyday that they're proud of me, but yeah I'm proud of them, they're proud of me – I love my family."
Wheelchair Rugby Exhibition Highlights
In the wheelchair rugby match, Harry executed a blind pass over his head that landed directly into the hands of a teammate, who then crossed the try-line. This move drew praise from TV presenter Ade Adepitan, a Paralympic bronze medallist with the GB basketball team in 2004, who played on Harry's team. Adepitan remarked, "He did a no-look pass. Did you see it? A no-look pass over his head. I mean, he said to me at the end 'it was just a throw and hope' but I said 'style it out, style it out,' that was done on purpose."
The event, held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, was part of a series of showcase sports highlighting events that will be staged when the city hosts the Invictus Games. Adepitan emphasised the importance of the exhibition: "This is a fantastic exhibition, a fantastic opportunity for people who've never seen the sport and never seen these athletes compete. When you're on there, you've got to do it justice."
Harry's Speech and the Invictus Spirit
In a speech to mark the countdown, Harry addressed past and present competitors and international captains: "This is just the warm-up, I think we're all in for something truly extraordinary. Of course, while the Games are famous for the competition, they have always been about more than medals. At the heart of Invictus are the competitors – remarkable men and women who have served their countries and who continue to show us what courage really looks like."
Harry also tried pickleball, a popular racket sport debuting at the 2027 Games alongside laser run, a biathlon-style event where competitors run or wheel themselves around a course before shooting at targets with laser pistols. The duke, a former Army officer, raced around the track and easily hit his five targets, but watched as his Australian teammate was narrowly beaten at the finish line.
New Sign Language and Resilience Message
Harry unveiled a new British Sign Language sign for the Invictus Games, demonstrating it from the lectern. He added: "That resilience in this community, in every individual that turns up to the Invictus Games, all those people that have served our 26 nations, is something that every community in this country and every community around the world can take some strength from. The world has a lot of troubles but when it comes to national resilience lets use this moment, the next 365 days, to lean on and learn from the Invictus community."
