Prince Harry celebrates Invictus Games anniversary; won’t see King Charles

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games and its founder, Prince Harry, is in London to mark the milestone.

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Harry created the games in 2014 after he served his country in Afghanistan and after he visited the U.S. Warrior Games. The foundation helps “international wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women” by giving them a way to “reclaim their purpose, identity and future, beyond injury.”

He spoke Tuesday about the first games held in London in September 2014.

“It was that final game of U.S.A. vs. U.K., and it was just end to end. I think it was wheelchair rugby and wheelchair basketball. And that, to me, was the highlight because you had 6,000 people who had filled this stadium and were on their feet, every age from 95 to 5, and people were just literally blown away by what they were watching. We had no idea what was going to happen,” Harry said during a panel called “The IGF Conversation: Realizing a Global Community,” People magazine reported.

He hopes the program will continue to grow.

“We cap our competitors at 550 strong,” he said during Tuesday’s event, according to People. “If there are people in this room who really want to come in with a big number of funding, then we can probably increase that, but then it means the Games go beyond a week, and everything else starts becoming much longer and bigger.”

The next games — Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler — will be held Feb. 8-16, 2025. The host city for the 2027 games has not been chosen, but it’s down to two finalists — Birmingham, U.K. and Washington, D.C., CNN reported.

The anniversary event is being held in London and, despite its proximity to his family, Harry will not be meeting with King Charles III.

The king returned to his royal duties last week after three months of cancer treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. Harry’s spokesperson said that Charles’ schedule is full, not allowing the father and son time together.

“The duke of course is understanding of his father’s ... commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” a statement from Harry’s representatives said, according to NBC News.

Buckingham Palace has been silent over Harry’s visit, CNN reported.

Harry met with his father after news of the king’s diagnosis was released in February. The prince told “Good Morning America” that the king’s illness could bring both sides of the family closer after allegations from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex of racist comments and pressures from the royal life.

A meeting between Harry and his brother, Prince William, is also not expected to happen, CNN reported. William’s wife, Princess Catherine, was also diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in March and is undergoing treatment.

Harry and his wife Meghan stepped down from royal duties in 2020, eventually settling down in California with their son and daughter, Archie, who turned 5 years old on Monday, and Lilibet, 2.

CNN reported that it appears Harry is in the U.K. alone, and that his family did not travel with him. The couple will be traveling to Nigeria at the invitation of the Nigerian Defence Headquarters. The country joined the Invictus Games last year as the first African country to participate.

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Prince Harry at the 2023 Invictus Games DUESSELDORF, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 10: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Wheelchair Rugby during day one of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 10, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023) (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images for Invictus Games )

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