Prince Harry is set to host the upcoming Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada, from 8 to 16 February, marking the first edition to feature winter sports.
However, the Duke of Sussex won’t be attending the event alone, as Denmark’s Prince Joachim and Princess Marie have been confirmed as special guests.
According to a statement from the Danish Royal House, the royal couple will arrive on 15 February, just a day before the closing ceremony. This will be their first time attending the Games, although Prince Joachim has previously interacted with Harry in connection to the event.
The two royals first met in 2017 when Prince Harry visited Copenhagen to tour a military training centre and meet the family of Morten Krogh Jensen, a Danish soldier who died in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Morten’s death was one of the inspirations behind the Invictus Games, as Harry, who served in Afghanistan, was deeply moved when he witnessed Morten’s coffin being loaded onto his transport plane alongside three injured British soldiers in induced comas.
Speaking about this experience at the 2017 Invictus Games opening ceremony, Harry reflected on how it changed his perspective on service and sacrifice:
“As I was waiting to board the plane, the coffin of a Danish soldier was loaded on by his friends. Once on the flight, I was confronted with three British soldiers, all in induced comas, with missing limbs, and wrapped in plastic. The way I viewed service and sacrifice changed forever.”
Prince Joachim was also deeply moved by this encounter, stating that the Invictus Games ensured that Morten’s sacrifice was not in vain.
The trip to Whistler will be relatively convenient for Joachim and Marie, as the Danish royals currently reside in Washington D.C.. The couple relocated to the United States in 2023 after Joachim accepted a position as Defence Industry Attaché at the Danish Embassy.
When not in the U.S., the family has a residence in Vedbæk, Denmark, which they purchased in 2023 after selling their villa in Klampenborg.
Prince Joachim and Princess Marie share two children, Count Henrik and Countess Athena, while Joachim also has two older sons, Count Nikolai and Count Felix, from his previous marriage to Princess Alexandra. Nikolai is currently studying in Sydney, while Felix attends the Royal Danish Military Academy.
