The Invictus Games was founded by Prince Harry in 2014, with the inaugural event taking place in London. The international adaptive sports competition was set up for injured, sick, and wounded service personnel and veterans.
Harry, who turns 39 on the Friday of the Invictus Games, and Meghan, 42, held hands as they made their first outing of the day. They met with NATO Joint Force Command and families from Italy and the Netherlands, posing with them for a group photo.
While Prince Harry looked sharp in a suit sans tie, Meghan opted for a head-to-toe beige ensemble with gold accessories (but still missing her engagement ring). They both sported sunglasses as they made their way to the outdoor photo op.
After an outfit change for Meghan, the couple headed to the sitting volleyball match between Nigeria and Ukraine at Merkur Spiel Arena.
Prince Harry said his wife is supporting the nation, which is new to the Invictus Games this week, during his opening speech on Saturday.
“Now, I’m not saying we play favorites in our home, but since my wife discovered she’s of Nigerian descent, it’s likely to get a little bit more competitive this year,” he joked in his speech. Last fall, the Duchess of Sussex revealed on her podcast, Archetypes, that she had recently learned she was 43% Nigerian in a genealogy test.
On the Wednesday of the Invictus Games, Prince Harry and Meghan posed for a photo with Team Nigeria and the national flag, and it was reported that the squad presented them with a plaque from the Chief of Defense.
The squad also had a new nickname for Meghan. According to the outlet, she received the name “Amira Ngozi Lolo,” which bears a royal meaning. Amira is the name of a warrior princess from a legend, while Ngozi means “blessed” and Lolo means “royal wife.”
Also on Wednesday, the couple attended the swimming finals and handed out medals (and high-fives!) at a children’s event. They were also in the stands to watch the wheelchair basketball match between Ukraine and Australia, which Ukraine won 8-6.
Ahead of the match, the pair met some of the competitors before taking their place in the stands, where they posed with spectators for photos, signed autographs and took part in a crowd wave.
Team Australia also took the chance to present Harry with a rather unique gift — a pair of “budgie smugglers” (an Australian term for Speedos) featuring the flags of the nation competing in the Invictus Games.
Sharing a photo of the moment on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Invictus Games Foundation’s account wrote, “It wouldn’t be an #InvictusGames if the Aussie’s didn’t gift our Patron, The Duke of Sussex a lovely piece of swimwear!”
In the picture, Prince Harry is seen holding up the colorful swimwear as Meghan looks on laughing.
Wednesday also saw the royal duo taking part in the medal ceremony for the wheelchair rugby. The gold medal was cinched by Team U.S.A., who beat Team U.K. 21-13 in Sunday’s final at the Merkur-Spiel arena.
Meghan looked emotional as she presented the team with their hardware, and she and Harry hugged a number of the competitors.
The Duchess of Sussex flew into Düsseldorf from Los Angeles on Tuesday and is expected to remain in Germany until the closing ceremony of the Games on Saturday. Prince Harry, who arrived in Germany on Friday, started off the opening ceremony and first few days of competition solo.
Speaking at a special party for Family and friends shortly after her arrival, Meghan revealed that the couple’s children — Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2 — were partly responsible for her later arrival.
