The Duke of Sussex has made his first public appearance since returning to the UK as he attends the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards in London.
Dressed in black tie and wearing his military medals, Harry posed for photographs in front of the press and then for selfies with wounded veterans as he arrived for the ceremony at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, south-east London.
At a champagne reception in an adjoining courtyard, he told guests he was “incredibly excited” to meet the winners and nominees after being part of the judging panel, alongside the Duchess of Sussex, for the awards.
Harry’s first public engagement since moving back to the UK from the US came on Thursday evening, after a war of words broke out between his father the King and Earl Charles Spencer, the brother of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Thursday evening’s event supports wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans by raising funds for the Invictus Games Foundation, of which Harry is the founding patron.
A host of famous faces including comedian James Corden, who opened the evening, chart-topping singer Jess Glynne, who gave a headline performance, and actor Ross Kemp were also in attendance.
After welcoming Harry with a hug, Sonique, who was DJing at the bash, said: “It’s nice to have him home. He used to come to my gigs, I have missed him.”
On spotting former England rugby union star James Haskell, Harry walked over and gave him a bear hug telling him “great to see you again”.
The pair posed for pictures at a specially erected photo booth before the duke was taken into the awards.
Giving a speech at the awards, Harry told the story of how Invictus began.
He said: “In 2008, flying home from Afghanistan, I travelled alongside three seriously injured British servicemen and the coffin of a Danish soldier.
“That flight stayed with me because it helped me begin to understand two things about the military that would shape the rest of my life: it gives you purpose, identity, belonging, a team; and in a matter of seconds, injury or illness can take it all away.
“Years later, after seeing the Warrior Games in America, we brought an idea back to London. We had less than a year to make it happen — which was probably useful, because it gave everyone less time to tell us it couldn’t be done.
“In September 2014, more than 400 competitors from 13 nations came together for the first ever Invictus Games. Now 12 years later, thousands have benefited. We have 26 nations in our community, and the games are coming home!
“And something happened that was bigger than sports competition. People who thought a part of their life was over began to see that something else might just be beginning. Their families, too, saw loved ones return to them in mind and spirit.”
The duke also had a message to veterans at the awards and around the world.
He said: “And to the veterans here tonight, and those wherever you are around the world, I want to say this as one soldier to another: your service matters. What you gave in uniform matters. And people far beyond the military community who see in your example what courage, resilience and leadership actually look like.”
It comes after explosive claims from a new memoir by Earl Spencer were published, in which the King is said to have told Diana’s brother at the time of her death in 1997 that “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”.
A palace spokesman said: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
Meanwhile, this week it was revealed that Harry and Meghan moved their children to a new school after talks with their security team.
Prince Archie, seven, and five-year-old Princess Lilibet had only just started at their new school in England after the family relocated from the US three weeks ago.
But they will now join another one, after heavy traffic and the lengthy journey to the school reportedly put the Sussexes’ security team under strain, Hello! magazine reported.
The decision comes amid reports that both the Sussexes will receive an official risk assessment following their return.
In January 2020, Harry and Meghan had announced they intended to step back as “senior” members of the royal family, become financially independent, still support Queen Elizabeth II, but split their time between the UK and North America.
But the late Queen ruled at the Sandringham Summit, which was convened to resolve the Megxit crisis, that the couple could not be half in and half out – and the King recently said the agreement still stands.
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