Prince Harry has opened up about the incredible The Invictus Games event he set up five years ago, in an emotional speech celebrating the anniversary of the organisation he established.
The Invictus Games is a global sporting event where wounded, sick or injured service men and woman compete in nine sports, including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball and indoor rowing. The games aims to provide an opportunity for service personnel to be involved in a supportive community with like-minded people.
The Duke of Sussex gave a moving speech at an event to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Invictus Games at the Guidhall in London, donning a smart blue suit and green tie to deliver a heartwarming message about the importance of the event.
“Wow, what a huge amount has happened in five years,” Harry began, while describing working with the inspirational sportspeople behind the foundation as “genuinely one of the greatest honours of my life”.
Prince Harry became emotional reflecting on the event he started.
(Credit: Getty)
Prince Harry described working with the inspirational sportspeople as “genuinely one of the greatest honours of my life”.
(Credit: Getty)The Prince said the groundbreaking event had managed to change perceptions around the world about mental health and what people with disabilities can do.
“The one thing that hasn’t happened is limbs haven’t grown back,” Prince Harry said.
“But one thing I can assure you is that mental health has completely changed with every single one of these individuals.
“We always knew that it was going to be great for the competitors and their families but that ripple effect that literally swept across the globe was quite astonishing.
“These guys have completely changed how we view disability, how we view mental health. This is all them. We merely created a platform in order for them to shine and it’s genuinely been one of the greatest honours of my life to get to know all you guys and to see you through this process.
“We’ve had some laughs, we’ve had some tears, and I can’t ever thank you enough for the impact that you have had across the world, to be able to create better understanding for those people who put the uniform on.”
Prince Harry looked dashing in his suit.
(Credit: Getty)
Greeting officials outside the event.
(Credit: Getty)In a candid video uploaded to Harry and Duchess Meghan’s official Instagram account Sussex Royal, the Duke opened up about his very first Invictus Games experience and how nervous he was at the time.
“I was so nervous, I was shaking,” Harry confessed in the clip, adding that he was worried that no one would turn up and wanted to ensure his speech was perfect.
“I knew I had a certain window to be able to get my words out, and we were also running behind. So I rushed it,” he laughed.
“It was probably one of the worst speeches I’ve ever given.”
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The speech is one of Prince Harry’s last official engagements before he and Duchess Meghan will head off on their tour to Africa with baby Archie later this month.
