Ramblings of a 70-year old: invictus games

Showing posts with label invictus games. Show all posts

Friday, November 11, 2022

Harry and Meghan honor service personnel on Remembrance Day and Veterans Day

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry went to their new post on their Archewell Foundation website to honor service personnel on Remembrance Day and Veterans Day. They shared a photo by Chris Allerton, their wedding photographer. It was a black and white photograph showing the couple facing military personnel. One of them was holding an American flag. They wrote - "On this Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, we honor service members across the world. These brave men and women, as well as their families, have made tremendous sacrifices and embody duty and service." They mentioned about the Invictus Games Foundation among other such groups. The couple went on to say -"We are proud to work with so many organizations that support veterans and military families, including: The Invictus Games Foundation, The Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, Scotty's Little Soldiers and The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation. Today and every day, thank you for your service." Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Share Poignant Photo to Mark Remembrance Day and Veterans Day.

Last year, the two of them paid a surprise visit to a military base New Jersey to mark Veterans Day. At a luncheon for service members and their spouses at the base, Meghan and Harry discussed topics like mental health and the importance of community. The stop in New Jersey came the day after they attended the 2021 Salute to Freedom gala at the Intrepid Museum in New York City. In the remarks column, Harry discussed the feeling of isolation that service members endure when they return home and stressed the importance of supporting veterans. He served a decade in the British army and undertook two tours in Afghanistan. On Invictus Games he said – he created them "to honor the legacy of those who have given so much." He also said – “the men and women who have experienced service injuries, as well as their families, are the strongest people in the world...and they deserve a platform to be seen, a platform to be recognized, and a platform to be truly celebrated."

Saturday, November 5, 2022

Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games and the Invictus Games Foundation in 2014

Idea of the Invictus Games came to Prince Harry after he witnessed the Warrior Games in 2013. That was during one of his visits to the U.S. and it acted as his inspiration to start the veterans' sports project. Subsequently, he arranged to hold the first edition of the Invictus Games in London the following year. That was 2014. The aim of the games is to make available a platform for disabled war veterans to compete in team and individual sports events. The games continue for several days and the participants get a chance to demonstrate their mental and physical fitness. They are the wounded, sick or injured armed forces servicemen and women. Harry maintained his working relationship with Invictus when he stepped down from his official role within the royal family. He had his wife Meghan Markle alongside him. In 2020, they relocated to the U.S. and his role as founder and patron remains unchanged. As the founder and patron, he extends support to the Invictus Games event and Invictus Games Foundation in several ways. These include promoting them on the world stage to fundraising and shaping their direction. Is Prince Harry Still Head of Invictus Games? . The official foundation website states that the prince - "Sees the Games as an important part of a broader legacy of support, through a combination of ongoing care, training and employment opportunities, to the well-being of those men and women who have served their country."

In 2021, its CEO Dominic Reid said that the royal's links with Invictus hadn't changed following the Sussexes decision to step away from their roles within the monarchy in Britain. His words at the time were - "We are proud to have The Duke of Sussex as our Patron. The Invictus Games was founded by him, it has been built on his ideas and he remains fully committed to both the Games and to the Invictus Games Foundation.” The official website of the foundation states that the prince: "Sees the Games as an important part of a broader legacy of support, through a combination of ongoing care, training and employment opportunities, to the well-being of those men and women who have served their country." Incidentally, the Invictus Games Foundation is the organization that oversees the Invictus Games brand. It also selects the host city each year, develops and maintains the lasting legacy of the games, including looking out for the wellbeing of past and present participants. The Netherlands would host the Invictus Games in 2022. The foundation announced that it would collaborate with BetterUp for these games. BetterUp is the digital mental health coaching business that appointed Harry as chief impact officer in 2021. It announced that the partnership would "support service members from around the world and empower them as they transition from military to civilian life." Benefits of the partnership would accrue to all participants in the Invictus Games because they would get tools for personal development.

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Britain minus their children

The last time Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle visited the UK was in June. The occasion was to attend the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The couple has now returned after flying commercial and dispensing with their private jet. This time their children Archie and Lilibet are not accompanying them. A spokesperson for the couple had confirmed the visit in August. The information was - "Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are delighted to visit with several charities close to their hearts in early September." Travel plans of the couple include Manchester on September 5 for the One Young World Summit. This is an event that helps to bring together young leaders from more than 190 countries. The Duchess of Sussex is a counsellor for the organization. She has with her Justin Trudeau, Sir Richard Branson, and Jamie Oliver. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in the UK – all the details. Other engagements of the couple during their stay are a visit to Germany for the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 One Year to Go event. They also plan to attend the WellChild Awards on September 8 prior to returning to the UK.

Their visit is brief and it is not known whether they will get an opportunity to spend time with the Queen. At present, the monarch is on her summer break at Balmoral. She had travelled to Scotland in July. Incidentally, the return of the couple comes on the heels of another of Meghan's wide-ranging interviews. In it she mentioned that it takes "a lot of effort" to forgive and hinted that she can "say anything." In the interview to a media outlet, she had said that “just by existing" she and Harry were "upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy.” That was prior to their stepping down as senior working royals.

Monday, August 29, 2022

Meghan Markle says she and her husband were "happy" to leave the UK

In another tell-tale interview to a New York magazine, Meghan Markle admits she and her husband Prince Harry were "happy" to leave the UK. The main reason was apparently adjustment. In her words - "just by existing, we were upsetting the dynamic of the hierarchy." She went on to add that the two of them were prepared to go anywhere in the Commonwealth. They wanted to move out of their life in Britain and relocate to Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. That was before deciding on a home in California. The Duchess of Sussex explains that she did make efforts to patch up with both her in-laws and members of her own family and she is “still healing" from the ordeal. . Meghan’s interview comes amid speculation she and Harry might noit be able to visit the Queen at Balmoral during their forthcoming visit to Britain next week due to security issues.

Meghan recently launched her Archetypes podcast on Spotify. In it, she reveals that in spite of her son Archie narrowly escaping a fire in his bedroom, she and Harry had to go ahead with their visit to South Africa. The couple now live in Montecito. This is a small coastal village north of Los Angeles. On the subject of her relationship with Prince Harry, she said they were like "salt and pepper." This is because they "always move together." The couple has made some plans related to their upcoming trip to the UK. They will make appearances to "support several charities close to their hearts." Their itinerary includes a trip to Manchester on 5 September for the One Young World Summit. Later they will visit Germany for the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 One Year To Go event.