Prince Harry, a former captain in the British Army, established the Invictus Games in 2014 as a sports event for wounded, injured, and ill service people and veterans. The upcoming 2025 competition marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first time the Invictus Games returns to a former host nation, which previously held the event in 2017. Having been hosted in various locations, including London (2014), Orlando (2016), Toronto (2017), Sydney (2018), The Hague (2022), and Düsseldorf (2023), the Vancouver-Whistler edition will be unique as it incorporates winter adaptive sports alongside the main sports from past Invictus Games.
In November, Prince Harry and Meghan surprised everyone with an unexpected visit to a Vancouver Canucks hockey game, which was connected to the upcoming Invictus Games. During the match, Prince Harry, following in the footsteps of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, had the honor of ceremoniously dropping the first puck on the ice.
Canada holds a special place in the hearts of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It was during the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto that they made their public debut as a couple. Meghan previously lived in Toronto while filming the television series Suits. In 2019, they also celebrated their first Christmas as a family of three on Vancouver Island with their son, Prince Archie, before stepping back from their official duties in 2020. Looking ahead to the 2025 Invictus Games, there is a possibility that Prince Archie, who is now four years old, and Princess Lilibet, who is two, might attend the event. Meghan expressed their enthusiasm in a speech during the most recent Invictus Games in Germany, stating, "We can't wait to bring our kids also so they can experience just how awesome this is."
