Prince Harry made his second appearance in Vancouver today as he launched the Invictus Games school programme in Canada, with a heartwarming game of sitting volleyball.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, visited Seaforth Armoury and met with elementary school children studying in the city as he talked to them about his annual adaptive sports tournament for wounded and injured service personnel.
His visit comes on the heels of a surprise solo appearance at the Canadian cup final just days after his wife Meghan Markle attended a friend’s glitzy party without her husband.
During his visit to the historic Canadian military facility today, Prince Harry participated in a series of events – including a spirited game of sitting volleyball – and appeared deep in conversation with his young fans.
Heartwarming photographs from the event showed Harry, who was dressed in a grey shirt, surrounded by smiling children as the group posed for photographs.
In a speech that was shared on X, Harry said the visit had a ‘profound impact’ on him, as he shared his hopes for the spirit of Invictus Games extending beyond its community ‘into schools in Canada and hopefully around the world’.
‘Seeing them learn about the Invictus Games has had a profound impact on me, because this is where Invictus starts to go even wider outside of the Invictus community, into schools in Canada and hopefully around the world,’ he said.
Videos from Harry’s visit to Seaforth Armoury showed him surrounded by school children, as they appeared eager to share a high-five with the Duke.
According to the Toronto Star, the Invictus Games School Programme comprises educational resources about the tournament’s history and purpose – aimed at students from kindergarten to Grade 12.
For his trip to the armoury, Harry paired his collared shirt with a pair of dark trousers and grey sneakers – perfect for a day of sporting fun.
His visit to the armoury comes one day after he joined Canadian football fans to watch the Grey Cup in Vancouver on Sunday.
Harry waved at fans and gave a cheery thumbs up to the crowd when he turned up to the match before the Toronto Argonauts took on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Prince is currently in Vancouver to promote the the Invictus Games, which take place in Vancouver and Whistler from February 8 to February 16.
But the Duchess of Sussex, who has attended the Invictus Games with Harry since 2017, did not accompany him during the promotional visit.
Meghan, 43, was instead pictured partying in Los Angeles on Thursday at the celeb-loved restaurant Gjelina, where she supported the launch of her friend and A-lister hairdresser Kadi Lee’s new Highbrow Hippie hair wellness range. The Duchess is an investor in Lee’s new collection.
Harry is patron of the Invictus Games which he established in 2014 as an international adaptive multi-sport event for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women.
Both serving troops and veterans are encouraged to compete as part of their recovery journeys.
Next year’s Invictus Games in Vancouver will be the first Invictus Games to include winter sports.
Harry’s visit to Canada comes just days after his wife put on a glamorous display at the Highbrow Hippie launch party in California.
The Duchess, who is also an investor in trendy oat latte brand Clevr Blends, as well as handbag label Cesta Collective, said about her latest investment: ‘I am so proud to invest in [Kadi] as a friend and as a female founder.
She told InStyle: ‘Kadi [Lee] has a mastery of hair health, and her Highbrow Hippie collection is a perfect reflection of that.’
The hairdresser – whose salon is based in the bohemian LA neighborhood of Venice – boasts several famous clients, such as Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Sigourney Weaver.
Meghan on Thursday was joined by friend and makeup artist, Daniel Martin, as well as celeb hairstylist Serge Normant, who famously styled the mother-of-two’s hair for her wedding ceremony in 2018.
Normant is believed to have introduced Meghan to Lee, who has often posted on social media about coloring the Duchess’ hair.
The hairdresser and her friend Myka Harris founded their salon in 2019 following the success of their shared blog.
Their webpage – which also reveals the owners’ star signs – reads: ‘Highbrow Hippie was created to fill a void. Our goal is to expand the definition of a salon and return to its historical meaning – a gathering place to exchange thoughts and ideas.
‘Creating a sense of community, self care and a way to drop out for a few hours and focus on yourself.
‘Our intention is to refocus on self care, community and experience. What works best for our customers is always top of mind and we hope that people will leave feeling inspired, connected, grounded and maybe having learned something new – either about themselves or someone else.
‘These small steps and attention to detail equal a huge amount of luxury in today’s fast paced and overly connected world.’
Their new collection will include the Root Replenish Active Growth Serum ($88.00) and the Essential Wellbeing Complex supplement ($118.00) to start with.
