Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcomed like rockstars at Invictus Games opening ceremony
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle rode in a golf buggy to cheery chants from Invictus Games competitors.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose an unusual form of transport at the Invictus Games opening ceremony as they rode along on the back of a golf buggy beside groups of competitors chanting.
Meghan has been posting on her Instagram stories since the start of the Invictus Games and since they landed in Vancouver, and one video shows the couple clapping as they wave and say hello to groups of competitors from different nations.
As the camera follows the couple holding on to the back of a golf buggy, competitors can be heard chanting “Harry, Harry!” as the royal pair zoom past like rockstars.
One fan on X wrote: “Prince Harry’s choice to ride in a golf cart rather than a royal carriage is a reflection of his priorities, his commitment to service, humility, and genuine connection with people over outdated symbols of status.”
Another added: “The golf cart is perfect.”
Harry and Meghan sat on the back of a golf buggy (Image: @meghan)
The seventh edition of the games, established by Prince Harry in 2014, began in Vancouver on Saturday, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin and singer Nelly Furtado performed at the opening event.
On Meghan’s previous Instagram stories earlier on Saturday, Meghan shared a video of herself and the Duke of Sussex smiling as they posed for a picture with Team USA ahead of the ceremony. She also posted a video where she hugged a woman in Team Canada kit.
More than 500 competitors from 23 nations will take part in the games, which go on until Sunday February 16.
Other events to take place over the nine days include swimming, wheelchair curling and indoor rowing.
Harry previously said this year’s games would offer “a global platform to expand the range and profile of winter adaptive sports”.
Meghan and Harry watching the opening ceremony (Image: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
The games aim to “inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who have served their country”, the Royal British Legion has previously said.
The Invictus Games were held in London in 2014, in Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018, The Hague in 2022 and Dusseldorf in 2023.
On Saturday evening, Prince Harry later took to the stage to speak of his “sacred obligation” to do everything he can to help military veterans like himself as he was given a hero’s welcome at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games.
In Harry’s speech, he said: “Beyond any differences, here at the Invictus Games we are grounded in mutual respect, competing fiercely, but believing in one another. Supporting one another. And rooting for one another.”
