As the Invictus Games concluded on Sunday with a powerful speech from Prince Harry and a heartfelt tribute by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie of Denmark brought their own special touch to the event.
The Danish royals attended the closing ceremony and surprised their country’s athletes with an impromptu selfie. The photo, a rarity for the couple, was shared on the official Danish Royal House Instagram account. “Thanks for this time, Invictus Games,” they captioned the snap, showing the pair decked out in Danish Invictus gear, surrounded by cheering teammates. Joachim gave a thumbs-up as Marie captured the joyful moment.
“It was a great and life-affirming experience! We are incredibly proud of our participants and their accompanying families and friends,” they wrote alongside the photo.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie spent February 14 and 15 at the Vancouver and Whistler Games, cheering on Team Denmark and visiting training sessions to connect with the athletes before their events.
The trip to Canada was convenient for the royals, who relocated to Washington, D.C., in 2023 with their children, Count Henrik, 15, and Countess Athena, 13. Their move followed Queen Margrethe’s controversial decision to strip Joachim’s children of their titles, which Princess Marie later described as “complicated.” “We weren’t happy about the way it happened — but it’s a family thing,” she told The Washington Post. “It’s also their name. It’s their identity since they were born.”
Despite the past controversy, the couple put family matters aside to support Team Denmark at the eight-day event, which hosted 550 injured service members and veterans competing in various sports.
Prince Harry, the driving force behind the Invictus Games, drew inspiration for the event from the US Warrior Games after witnessing the positive impact of sports on mental health. The Danish royals even stopped for a chat with Harry on Saturday at a sitting volleyball match, showing their support for his mission.
During Sunday’s closing ceremony, Harry praised the athletes for their dedication and resilience. “To those of you whose journey to these Games has been difficult and uncertain…thank you for showing us what is possible,” he said.
“In the pursuit of saving yourselves, you have also saved all of us—those who love you and those who don’t even know you.”
Harry concluded with a promise: “So long as our brothers and sisters are striving to heal and grow, the Games will go on. So long as there are those around the world who view you with sympathy, rather than admiration and respect, the Games will go on. And so long as the challenges around us demand it…the Games will go on.”
