The 2025 Invictus Games officially kicked off in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, with a grand opening ceremony lasting two and a half hours, beginning at 9 PM GMT.
The international sporting event, founded by Prince Harry in 2014 for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women, has brought together over 500 athletes from 23 countries.
From now until February 16, competitors will take part in traditional Invictus sports, including indoor rowing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair rugby, and wheelchair basketball. This year, the Games have also introduced winter sports such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing and biathlon, skeleton (a form of sledding), and wheelchair curling.
The opening ceremony drew a sold-out crowd of 40,000 spectators, featuring performances from Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Nelly Furtado, and Katy Perry. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were also in attendance, making a highly anticipated appearance.
Meghan’s Social Media Highlights
Meghan Markle took to Instagram Stories to share behind-the-scenes moments from the Invictus Games. In one post, she and Harry were seen visiting the Squamish Nation, with Meghan captioning the story, “Thank you for welcoming us on your sacred land.” She also posted clips from an outdoor ceremony held in the chilly Whistler weather, where she seemed to be enjoying the event to the fullest.
Prince Harry’s Speech and Playful Banter
While Meghan appeared to be fully engaged in the excitement, Prince Harry took center stage with a warm introduction from Canadian singer Michael Bublé, who even performed a brief riff of “Feeling Good.”
Harry jokingly told the crowd, “Well, thank God Michael Bublé sang. Can you imagine bringing him out here and him saying, ‘You know what? I didn’t come here to sing…’ Thank you for the introduction.”
He also gave a playful shoutout to Whistler’s mayor, Jack Crompton, referring to him as “my ginger friend” before asking the audience, “Are there any other gingers in the house?”
Expressing his gratitude, Harry added, “Thank you all so much for the love and support for these incredible athletes. You all came up here knowing you were going to get cold, so thank you for the support!”
In a heartfelt moment, Harry called Meghan to join him on stage, saying, “My wife and I—come on out here! Come on!” As she stepped up beside him, they wrapped their arms around each other, and Harry playfully added, “Now she’s going to sing!”
The 2025 Invictus Games will continue until February 16, concluding with a closing ceremony at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.
