Prince Harry tonight joked Meghan Markle was going to sing in front of a 1,000-strong crowd at the Invictus Games.
The royal had been introduced on stage at a welcoming ceremony in Whistler, Canada, by his pal Michael Bublé, who sang Feeling Good. Meghan joined Harry on stage at the end of his speech before he joked: “Now she’s going to sing!”
Welcoming Harry on stage, Canadian singer Michael said: “I know how difficult something like this is, so I wanted to make sure I did this right. Without the incredible effort of this young man, none of this would have happened, so please welcvome my friend, Prince Harry.”
And, as the mercury plunged to -9C, the Duke of Sussex addressed the excited crowd in the town north of Vancouver, known for its skiing and snowboarding pistes.
The Games began this week with a star-studded opening ceremony on Saturday, held in the city’s 40,000-capacity BC Place Stadium. At the event, Harry gave an impassioned speech where he called for competitors to overcome a “moment of difficulty and division in many parts of the world”. His words were viewed by many as a veiled dig at Donald Trump as the president made scathing remarks about Harry’s wife just hours before Invictus kicked off.
Addressing the 40,000-strong audience, the Duke said: “At this moment, when there is no shortage of crises, no absence of uncertainty, no lack of weak moral character in the world, the values you embody, the way you carry yourselves – not only at the Invictus Games, but each and every day – your courage, your resilience, your humanity, illuminate a path forward for us all.”
On the same day, Trump dismissed the suggestion of deporting the Harry from the States following his revelations about his history with drugs in his autobiography, savagely claiming that Harry already has “enough problems with his wife”.
The president’s blistering comments didn’t seem to phase the couple however, as they looked seriously loved up while watching the likes of Nelly Furtardo, Katy Perry Coldplay’s Chris Martin perform on stage. Meghan, dressed in a £2,400 ivory double breasted Sentaler trench coat, was seen tenderly stroking her husband’s neck while they sat and watched the event in the stands. Another moment saw the couple pack on the PDA as they shared a passionate smooch.
Reacting to the tactile signs of affection from the Duchess, body language expert Judi James told The Mirror: “Clutching his arm and leaning here head against his shoulder in a romantic, date-night pose or reaching her hand out to caress his neck in a gesture of more maternal-looking pride as he is mentioned from the stage.” And she continued: “She’s directing attention onto Harry and showing support and an almost fan-like sense of appreciation.”
Just hours before the glittering opening ceremony, Meghan made an impromptu speech at a private Invictus Games event where she gushed about her husband and made a sweet nod to their children, Archie and Lilibet. Speaking to a crowd of veterans and their families, said: “I was not planning on speaking tonight, and we just arrived, I don’t know, a couple of hours ago, and I touched Canadian soil and I went, oh, it feels like home.”
Then turning to Harry, she said: “We are just thrilled to be here, and I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to introduce someone who means a lot to me. And I know he means quite a lot to all of you. You will see him throughout this week. You will see him at the Games. You will see him probably curling with you, cheering you on.”
The Duchess then gave rare insight into parenthood with her husband, as she said: “What you won’t have seen is all of the moments that have happened in the lead-up to these Games, all of the moments where, as you know, with families, the big rush in the morning – getting ready for school, packing the lunch boxes, making breakfast. My husband’s in all of that with us, and then he’ll be on his phone, and Archie will say: ‘Papa, why are you on your phone?’ And he’s like: ‘That’s Invictus. I’m getting ready for Invictus.”
Harry has shown his cheeky and sometimes goofy side at the sports tournament, often leaving his wife in fits of laughter with his stunts. One such moment saw him ‘dad dancing’ with Canada’s Invictus Games team, and another saw him do an impression of a Canadian moose at a basketball event. The Duke even posed modelling a pair of ‘budgie smuggler’ swimming trunks, presented to him by the Australia team. Meghan has been sharing behind-the-scenes moments on her newly re-launched Instagram page.
The Games will run for nine days, featuring more than 500 competitors from 23 nations. Athletes will compete in core sports including indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball. The Games will also include winter sports for the first time.
The prince founded the Invictus Games in London in 2014, with this year marking the seventh edition of the competition for wounded military veterans. During his emotional speech at the ceremony, Harry told the crowd of 40,000: “We gather here in Vancouver in a spirit of unity. Beyond any differences, here at the Invictus Games we are grounded in mutual respect, competing fiercely, but believing in one another.”
He continued: “Over the past decade I’ve lost count of the times we’ve heard you tell us that the Invictus Games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree. Invictus didn’t save you. You saved yourself.”
