Prince Harry and Meghan are set to give a public show of strength at the Invictus Games - in what will be their first public outing together since the publication of a distressing Vanity Fair cover. The couple arrived together at the nine-day event in Canada after travelling from Santa Barbara to Vancouver on a private plane on Friday night local-time. The Invictus Games will begin on Saturday with an opening ceremony featuring live performances by a host of stars, including Katy Perry, Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado, in front of a sold-out audience of 40,000 people at the city's BC Place stadium, where Harry is also set to make a speech on stage.
Meghan and Harry were reportedly left upset by last month's report in Vanity Fair, which included speculation, which has been strongly denied, about the state of the couple's marriage. It also included anonymous allegations about Meghan's alleged management style towards staff. Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, who have also been hit by unverified allegations in a new book, have made separate public appearances at events in recent months amid claims they want to pursue separate professional endeavours.
Meghan is now set to launch her own Netflix TV show later this month and has other solo projects planned. But it is understood the couple made the decision to appear together at the Invictus Games as it is an event that is deeply personal to them both and Meghan also wanted to support Harry, who founded the event for wounded veterans in 2014. If you can't see the poll, click here. Harry and Meghan were seen arriving in Vancouver on Friday evening after landing in the city on a private jet that had set off from Santa Barbara, close to their Montecito mansion. Organisers say this year's event, which comes after previous Games' were held in London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague and Dusseldorf, will be the biggest ever. It will be held at eight separate venues in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler, which are on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh.
More than 1,900 volunteers have signed up to help stage the £34million event, which will see up to 550 participants from up to 25 nations compete in eleven sports, including six winter ones for the first time in Invictus Games history. They will include Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Biathlon, Cross Country Skiing, Skeleton and Wheelchair Curling, as well as Indoor Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby.
Chief Executive Officer Scott Moore 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.".
Harry and Meghan were seen arriving in Vancouver on Friday evening after landing in the city on a private jet that had set off from Santa Barbara, close to their Montecito mansion. Organisers say this year's event, which comes after previous Games' were held in London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague and Dusseldorf, will be the biggest ever. It will be held at eight separate venues in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler, which are on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh.
