Prince Harry is back in the United Kingdom to mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games, and royal experts say the event underscores the qualities the British royal family lost when he and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals. The Invictus Games, an international adaptive sporting competition for wounded, injured, and sick military service members and veterans, were founded by Harry in 2014. The event has since grown into a global movement that emphasizes rehabilitation, resilience, and community among participants.
Meredith Constant, a royal commentator, told Fox News Digital that the Invictus Games highlight the best of Prince Harry and the assets the royal family lost after the Sussexes exited working royal life. She noted that the games have played a massive role in bringing veterans from around the world together to heal and celebrate community, including Harry himself. In his memoir «Spare,» Harry shared his experiences with post-traumatic stress disorder, and Constant suggested that the Invictus Games have likely contributed to his own healing process as well.
The Invictus Games also demonstrate Harry's deep affection for his home country, according to Constant. The games are named after a poem by William Ernest Henley that most British people know, particularly the line «I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.» Harry took control of his own fate when he and Meghan moved their family overseas, Constant said, but he continues charitable endeavors like the Invictus Games that take him to the U.K. because he loves his country, despite the overwhelming press coverage and scrutiny his visits inevitably bring.
Hilary Fordwich, a British royal expert, told Fox News Digital that what sets the Invictus Games apart is that they are based on something genuine, from Harry's heart and his previous military experiences. Harry served 10 years in the British Army, including two deployments to Afghanistan. He conceived the idea after watching the 2013 Warrior Games and then built Invictus into an international sporting movement for wounded, injured, and sick prior service personnel, directly linked to his own identity. Through the games, he has been able to inspire recovery, rehabilitation, and garner broader respect for those who have served.
Fordwich noted that until Meghan Markle became involved in the event, it was an opportunity for Harry to showcase his true heart. Watching his interactions with the athletes, particularly in wheelchair rugby matches, but also with families and support teams, one can see he has genuinely invested heart and soul into the cause. The one-year countdown to the Birmingham 2027 Games is particularly significant, Fordwich added, since with sponsors quitting, this is mission critical for sustaining the event in the future.
Richard Fitzwilliams, another royal expert, said there is little doubt that the Invictus Games are uniquely valuable. They help veterans and serving soldiers with physical injuries and mental health conditions. Harry was behind a much-praised, though little-watched, five-part series on Netflix that contained stories of the courageous men and women the games help. The 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games was rightly celebrated with a service at St. Paul's Cathedral, which Harry attended solo.
The Invictus Games are held every two years and bring together competitors from countries around the world to compete in adaptive sports such as wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball, swimming, indoor rowing, cycling, athletics, and archery. More recent editions have also added winter sports like alpine skiing, snowboarding, skeleton, and wheelchair curling. While medals are awarded, the focus is less on winning and more on rehabilitation, resilience, and building community among veterans and active-duty service members recovering from physical injuries, illnesses, or psychological trauma such as PTSD.
The Games have become one of the defining charitable initiatives of Harry's public life, continuing even after he stepped back as a senior working royal. The next Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham, England, in July 2027, marking the first time the event has returned to the U.K. since the inaugural Games in London in 2014. As the countdown continues, experts and participants alike are watching closely to see how the event will sustain its momentum and impact in the years ahead.
