He has officially no longer been part of the British royal family since March 2020, and yet… Prince Harry persists in taking on responsibilities that normally fall to active members of the firm. He, who had his titles withdrawn as well as his patronage at Megxit, was nevertheless on the ice, this November 20, 2023, to follow in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Harry follows in the footsteps of Elizabeth II
It was he who kicked off the Vancouver Canucks’ game against the San Jose Sharks, throwing the puck between the opponents, 21 years after his grandmother. It’s a long-standing hockey tradition, and Prince Harry this week received an honor previously done to the monarch. At the time, on October 6, 2002, as part of its 11-day tour of Canada in honor of its golden jubilee, the National Hockey League rolled out the red carpet for Elizabeth II. Accompanied by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, she had her small black handbag on her arm when she leaned down to throw the puck onto the ice, to the applause of the crowd. She then followed the match from the royal box.
But why was Prince Harry invited to reproduce this gesture this Monday evening? His visit, alongside his wife, Meghan Markle to Canada, takes place as the next Invictus Games are due to be held in Vancouver and Whistler in 2025. This disabled sports tournament for war veterans was launched by Harry in 2014, and it is to date his greatest feat of arms within the royal family. After leaving for the United States, it was the only project he was able to keep, while his rugby responsibilities were transferred to his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
Invictus returns to Canada
This November 20, 2023, Harry rejoiced: “As Invictus continues to adapt and evolve, I am extremely pleased to announce that the Invictus Games Foundation has chosen Canada to host the first-ever Hybrid Winter Games in 2025. The Invictus Games Vancouver-Whistler 2025 will provide a global platform to expand the range and profile of winter adaptive sports. With deep respect, I am also pleased to announce that the Games in Canada will take place in partnership with First Nations, in a spirit of truth and reconciliation with Indigenous communities.”
F.A.