Nothing but praise! Prince Harry showed his support for Invictus Games athletes amid the event’s delay.
The fifth annual Invictus Games was supposed to be held this year in The Hague, Netherlands, from May 9 to May 16. Since the coronavirus pandemic caused the event to be postponed, the former Duke of Sussex shared a message to athletes who were set to participate.
“We’re obviously not in The Hague, but I’m so pleased we have been able to organize this virtual gathering when the Games would have taken place themselves,” the British Army vet, 35, said in a video message on Wednesday, June 10. “This conversation is all about sharing the Invictus spirit, and it is even more relevant now as we are having to address new challenges and adapt our lives.”
Harry added, “I hope that all the nations, competitors and family and friends are coping well to support each other during this time, and I know you’ll be showing that resilience that is so central to the Invictus community. I hope this conversation will be the first of many, and I am really looking forward to a time when we can come together again.”
In a video message shared by the organization via Twitter last month, Harry opened up about the event being pushed back and when it will be rescheduled. “Life has changed dramatically for all of us since I was last in The Hague, but the IG2020 team has done an incredible job to adapt so quickly to the situation, and are busy planning dates for next year,” he explained at the time.
“The new dates will be shared with you very soon,” the former royal continued. “I hope all of those in the Invictus family are coping well and supporting each other through these challenging times.”
Harry launched the Invictus Games in 2014 as a paralympic sporting event for injured, wounded and sick armed forces members. He was inspired to create the event after seeing the Warrior Games, created by the United States Department of Defense, in 2013. After the first-ever event concluded, he has remained a patron of the Invictus Games Foundation.
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