Prince Harry plays pickleball at Invictus Games event, but no Meghan

Prince Harry plays pickleball at Invictus Games event, but no Meghan

Prince Harry participated in a series of demonstration matches at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre (NEC) on Friday to mark one year until the 2027 Invictus Games. The Duke of Sussex engaged in several sports, including wheelchair rugby, laser run, and pickleball, an alternative to tennis that will be featured when the tournament for wounded, injured and sick military personnel arrives in Birmingham.

Notably absent from the public engagement was the Duchess of Sussex. While earlier reports suggested she would accompany the duke, she did not travel to the UK with him earlier in the week, citing security concerns. Reports later indicated that although she may be traveling to Britain this week with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, she was no longer expected to appear alongside Harry at the NEC event.

The duke's appearance followed a challenging week. He recently lost a £50m privacy case against the publishers of the Daily Mail and faced a protracted legal battle with the Home Office over security arrangements for his family. Reports last week stated Harry was denied police protection for his family during the visit. Furthermore, plans for the duke to stay at Buckingham Palace changed at the last minute. While some reports state the palace rescinded the invitation, other accounts suggest the invitation was withdrawn because Harry allegedly failed to confirm plans within the required timeframe.

Despite these tensions, Harry appeared relaxed and jovial during the demonstration matches. He played pickleball for about 10 minutes, competing in a doubles match with a partner against his friend David Henson. He also raced against friend JJ Chalmers in a laser run — a relay event involving running and target shooting — and competed in wheelchair rugby, where players slam into one another's chairs to score tries.

The event was opened by Helen Helliwell, chief executive officer of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, who stated:

"Invictus has always been more than a week of games. It transforms lives not only for competitors but for their families."

Helen Helliwell, CEO of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027

During a brief interview with presenter Alison Hammond, Harry described Birmingham as the centrepoint for many wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan, calling the location a real home coming and a moving return for the competitors. He added that seeing these athletes motivates others, stating:

"No matter who you are, whether youve been lying on the couch with a broken back, or noi matter what injury you have, you look at these guys and think if they can do it, I can do it as well."

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, via Express

The duke also interacted with TV presenter Ade Adepitan, a 2004 Paralympian bronze medalist. In a lighter moment with Hammond, Harry mentioned that his children absolutely love her appearance in Bake Off.

The proceedings were briefly interrupted when a car alarm from a Defender vehicle, provided by foundational partner and official sponsor Defender, went off while Harry was speaking with staff. The noise lasted a couple of minutes before being turned off; officials confirmed there was no security issue.

Outside of the sporting events, Harry visited the Birmingham Children’s Hospital to speak with nurses about their impact on daily lives and to discuss the financial difficulties currently facing the NHS.

The visit has sparked speculation regarding a potential family reunion. King Charles has reportedly met with his son only twice over the past two and a half years, and has not seen Archie and Lilibet in person since June 2022, during Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. A spokesperson for Meghan declined to comment on reports regarding the family's visit. reports suggest Harry may hope to take his children to Althorp to visit the resting place of Princess Diana.