Meghan Markle gave an impromptu speech at a private Invictus Games event to say how she feels ‘at home’ in Canada and praised her husband for his dedication to the sporting event for disabled military veterans.
After giving Harry a intimate kiss on stage she took the microphone to talk about the importance of the event – and how their children in California were fully aware of what the game mean to the family.
She told an audience of military veterans and their families how much the Games meant to her husband saying they were his ‘family’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to Vancouver Island in 2020 after quitting the royal family in what became known as ‘Megxit’.
Meghan, 43, also lived in Toronto for several years where the Netfix series ‘Suits’ was filmed and famously made their first appearance together as a couple at the 2017 Invictus Games held in the city.
Speaking hours after flying in from California on a private jet Meghan said: ‘I was not planning on speaking tonight, and we just arrived, I don’t know, a couple of hours ago, and I touched Canadian soil and I went, oh, it feels like home.’
Turning to her husband she said: ‘We are just thrilled to be here, and I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to introduce someone who means a lot to me. And I know he means quite a lot to all of you. You will see him throughout this week.
‘You will see him at the Games. You will see him probably curling with you, cheering you on.’
She told an audience of military veterans and their families how much the Games meant to her husband saying they were his ‘family’
Speaking hours after flying in from California on a private jet Meghan said: ‘I was not planning on speaking tonight, and we just arrived, I don’t know, a couple of hours ago, and I touched Canadian soil and I went, oh, it feels like home’
She continued: ‘He’s in it with you, and you’ll see him through all of those moments. He’ll be there with you.’
Meghan also made a touching confession about her family’s preparations for the Games, mentioning her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
‘What you won’t have seen is all of the moments that have happened in the lead-up to these Games, all of the moments where, as you know, with families, the big rush in the morning – getting ready for school, packing the lunch boxes, making breakfast.
‘My husband’s in all of that with us, and then he’ll be on his phone, and Archie will say: ‘Papa, why are you on your phone?’ And he’s like: ‘That’s Invictus. I’m getting ready for Invictus.”
‘It means so much to him. You are his family, just as we are his family, and I hope you recognise how much of his heart he has poured into every single thing that has gotten all of you to this week, which is going to be spectacular. I just need you to know that.’
To cheers from the crowd she added: ‘I need you to know how much it means to him and how much each of you means to him,’ adding that her ‘sweet children’, Archie and Lilibet, are ‘cheering [everyone] on from California.’
The couple will take centre stage later today at the official opening of the Games with singer Katy Perry and Chris Martin from Coldplay performing.
The 500 competitors from 23 countries will make a grand entrance similar to those at Olympic Games.
A sell out crowd of 40,000 people will be at the BC Stadium in downtown Vancouver for the two hour event.
Meghan Markle had earlier been spotted adoringly watching her husband Prince Harry as he opened the seventh edition of the Invictus Games.
The Duchess, who is wearing a brown ensemble, stood behind the Duke of Sussex as he gave his opening speech to whooping crowds in Vancouver.
As he stood on stage, he joked with the audience asking if anyone was tired, to which there were shouts of ‘no’ from the audience, which prompted a laugh from Harry to say ‘well obviously team Canada is not tired, everybody else had to travel half way round the world to be here!’
Last night the pair were all smiles from the back seat of a three-car convey as they arrived at the ultra luxurious Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be enjoying ‘rock star’ status during their stay in Vancouver after booking a £5,000 a night suite that comes with its own private elevator and rooftop patio.
Meghan, who has attended four previous games, is said to be focused on supporting her husband and the games in the coming week.
A source said: ‘Her attendance underscores her support for her husband and the mission of Invictus, a cause that is deeply personal to both of them.
Meghan Markle has been spotted adoringly watching her husband Prince Harry as he opened the seventh edition of the Invictus Games
This will be the seventh edition of the games, established by Harry in 2014, and will begin in the city today, bringing together more than 500 competitors from 23 nations. It is also the first time the games will include winter sports
The couple lovingly kiss on stage after Harry’s speech
‘While the Duchess has several exciting projects on the horizon, her family remains her top priority. As always, she and the Duke will continue to stand together in support of the causes they care about, just as they did during their visits to Colombia and Nigeria last year.
‘Her focus at the Games will be on uplifting her husband, the competitors, and sharing their stories.’
The couple flew in on a private charter jet from Santa Barbara airport near their home in Montecito, California, arriving just after 5:30pm.
Three staff from the Fairmont Pacific Rim on Vancouver’s waterfront stood guard at the entrance to the underground car park ready to block traffic to allow the Prince’s convoy to proceed inside unhindered.
While police waited in two nearby unmarked cars, but despite temperatures below freezing there were still people out on the street to greet them.
The Duke and Duchess will initially spend three nights in the city of Vancouver before relocating to the ski resort of Whistler for the adaptive winter sports part of the games for wounded and disabled military veterans.
Such is the luxury of the two-storey suite they will be staying in it will be a home from home from their £10m California mansion.
The couple are staying in the Chairman’s Suite in the five star Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel with its breathtaking views across the Coal Harbour to snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Prince Harry was all smiles as he arrived at his five-star hotel for the start of the Invictus Games
The couple flew in on a private charter jet from Santa Barbara airport near their home in Montecito, California , arriving just after 5:30pm
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be enjoying ‘rock star’ status during their stay in Vancouver after booking a £5,000 a night suite that comes with its own private elevator and rooftop patio. Pictured: the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel
The hotel has nicknamed the luxurious accommodation the ‘Rock Star Suite’ and its former guests have included Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and singer Ed Sheeran.
Described by the hotel as ‘pure luxury’ it boasts a custom 8′-long Swarovski crystal chandelier that cascades over the two-story living area.
The master bedroom is located on the top floor and features a fireplace, king size bed, and huge 500 sq ft marble bathroom with a hand-carved soaker tub.
This lavish suite also offers two stunning living room areas, kitchen and pantry and can be connected to another room for other guests or meetings.
There is also a wet bar where Harry could indulge in the Dirty Harry cocktail.
Made from Vodka, dry vermouth and ginger it was named after Canadian writer and visual artist Douglas Coupland’s ‘Dirty Harry, 2021’ artwork which featured blown mercury glass and hangs in the hotel’s entrance.
Should Harry and Meghan want to brave the sub-zero temperatures in the Canadian city there is an outdoor rooftop patio with expansive views.
Inspired by a Balinese villa the patio includes a private gazebo with a meditation pond and fire pit, along with a private rooftop tented terrace.
The hotel, which is rated as the most luxurious in British Columbia, also has a heated outdoor pool with cabanas, and a spa with meditation pods and an infrared sauna.
The couple are staying in the Chairman’s Suite in the five star Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel with its breathtaking views across the Coal Harbour to snow-capped mountains in the distance
The hotel has nicknamed the luxurious accommodation the ‘Rock Star Suite’ and its former guests have included Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise and singer Ed Sheeran
Described by the hotel as ‘pure luxury’ it boasts a custom 8′-long Swarovski crystal chandelier that cascades over the two-story living area
The Fairmont hotel is located opposite the Vancouver Convention Centre where most of the indoor sports in the Invictus Games will be held.
While it is a short walk across two lanes of traffic the couple will have access to an underground tunnel that links the two buildings.
With temperatures hovering above freezing and an icy breeze it means they will not get cold as they attend the sporting events and meet competitors and their families in the vast expanse of the Convention Centre which acts as a hub for the games.
While the weather is cold in Vancouver it plunges to -15 in the ski resort of Whistler where the winter adaptive sports will be held.
During the three days alpine skiing, snowboarding the skeleton are held the temperature will not rise above -7.
Harry and Meghan got a taste of how cold it can be exactly a year ago when they visited the resort for a ‘Vancouver Whistler 2025 One Year to Go’ event.
They saw first-hand how disabled and injured military veterans were able to tackle the winter sports.
Prince Harry, pictured with his wife Meghan in Whistler last year, are remembered fondly by the Canadian public after the couple moved to Vancouver Island in 2020
Organisers have revealed that the budget for the nine-day event was over £30m and involved over 1,800 volunteers from 21 countries.
He said the private donors had contributed $3.3m with Canadian Government also chipping in millions and corporate sponsors, such as Seattle based plane maker Boeing, contributing to the costs.
Chief Executive Officer Scott Moore, who is responsible for staging the games said: ‘We will deliver the best ever Invictus Games over the next nine days. These Games will be life-changing. ‘
Mr Moore, who has over 40 years of senior management experience in sports broadcast, media and sponsorship sales, added: ‘I was lucky enough to do eleven Olympic Games in my career.
‘People ask me what is the difference between the Olympic Games and the Invictus Games.
‘The Olympic Games changes lives… the Invictus Games saves lives.’
