The arrival of Prince Harry was a highly anticipated event in England, this May 7 and 8. The second son of King Charles III is only staying 48 hours in the British capital, with the sole purpose of celebrating 10 years of the Invictus Games. The high point of this whirlwind stay in his native country was the thanksgiving service celebrated this Wednesday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
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The Duke of Sussex attends the service of thanksgiving for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games
The United Kingdom’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrived in London on May 7, participating in a conference on the importance of building a global community, through sport and the values it conveys. It was one of the events organized on the sidelines of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. It was on May 8, 2024 that the crowd awaited Prince Harry, gathered in front of the square of Saint-Paul Cathedral, where the son of Charles III was expected to attend a festive religious service.
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Shortly before 5 p.m., Prince Harry, 39, climbed the steps of the cathedral, turning shyly towards the crowd who were cheering him. After a few greetings, he was welcomed at the entrance by the officiating clergy. The thanksgiving service was organized to mark 10 years of the first Invictus Games, which took place in 2014 in London. The Invictus Games are international games for veterans. It is an equivalent of the Paralympic Games reserved for former wounded soldiers.
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During the service, Prince Harry gave a reading and actor Damian Lewis, known for his portrayals of soldiers in his films and series (Brothers in Arms, Homeland, Warriors), read the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley. Among Prince Harry’s only relatives in the cathedral was his uncle, Count Spencer, with his son Louis and one of his sisters. After the religious service, Prince Harry shook some hands offered to him by the population kept behind barriers. Prince Harry will not stay in England and see neither his father nor his brother. He will quickly head to Nigeria, where he will meet Meghan Markle. They will also spend several days in Africa as part of the Invictus Games.
Nicolas Fontaine
Editor-in-chief
Nicolas Fontaine has been a designer-editor and author for numerous Belgian and French brands and media. A specialist in royal family news, Nicolas founded the site Histoires royales of which he is the editor-in-chief. [email protected]
