Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex kick off Invictus Games 2025 in Vancouver, Canada

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have kicked off the Invictus Games of 2025 with a bang.

The royal couple made an appearance in Whistler in Vancouver, Canada, to launch the games, which are a passion project of Prince Harry's.

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At a dinner held for friends and family, Meghan made an impromptu welcome speech as she welcomed her husband to the stage.

She told the crowd about how committed her husband was in the lead up to the yearly games, which he first launched in 2014.

"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.

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"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.'"

Though the couple's children – Prince Archie, five, and Lilibet, three – were unable to join their parents at the games this year, Meghan assured the crowd that their "sweet children" will be "cheering them on" from their Montecito, California home.

She added that Harry considers the athletes his own family.

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"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 beat that has gotten all of you to this week, that's going to be spectacular," she said.

"I need you to know that, how much it means to him and how much each of you mean to him."

The Invictus Games, which sees wounded, injured and sick service members and veterans competing in sporting events, will be taking place in Vancouver and Whistler from February 8 to February 16.

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The royals will likely be attending the events throughout the week, with Meghan adding in her speech that, "You will see (Harry) throughout this week. You will see him at the games, you will see him probably curling with you and cheering you on at wheelchair basketball."

She added that the sports she would "never do, my husband will probably do three times because he wants to be there with you, he is in it with you."

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