The Duke of Sussex delivers a heartfelt speech as he kicks off his annual sporting event for the wounded, injured, and sick military members in Dusseldorf, Germany.
- Sep 11, 2023
AceShowbiz - Prince Harry quipped his household is getting "a little bit more competitive" over the Invictus Games. The Duke of Sussex opened this year's event in Dusseldorf, Germany, with a speech that acknowledged the new nations joining the competition - a multi-sport tournament for wounded, injured and sick military personnel and veterans - including Colombia, Israel, and Nigeria, and suggested his wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, will be cheering on the latter country after she previously revealed a genealogy test had shown she is 43% Nigerian.
"Now, I'm not saying we play favourites in our home, but since my wife discovered she's of Nigerian descent, it's likely to get a little bit more competitive this year," he said. Harry began his speech by speaking in German and went on to note the year between now and last year's Games in The Hague had "went very fast", having gone "from stroopwafel to schnitzels in the blink of an eye."
Harry then acknowledged how some of the competitors may have lost their "purpose" after getting injured. He said, "Now, remember that feeling of pride and honour when you first wore your nation's flag on your uniform? Most of us perhaps remember more its final outing, or the time we hung it up for good."
"Am I right in saying for some, it represented a cape? Perhaps a shield, or an escape? For others, an opportunity, a recognition, or a calling? No matter what it meant to you then, or your reasons for signing up, it was always about being of service to others and to your mates."
"You discovered things about yourself you'd never knew. Skills and abilities you didn't know that you had. You unlocked your potential and performance. And you understood the power of working as a team. Ultimately, you were part of a purpose larger than yourself, and that feeling felt good. And I'm guessing a lot of you in this stadium tonight have felt the absence of that feeling for months, maybe years. Well, not anymore."
The prince asked those gathered to look at their current outfits and noted while the uniforms may not be camouflage, they signify they are "once again part of a team" and are "surrounded by people who know what it means to serve, who have a good idea of what it's taken to get here, who see and know you, and who respect you through your shared experience."
The prince went on to insist the competition isn't "solely about medals." He added, "This year's games is a home for respect. Think about that word for a second, respect. What does it mean to you? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Some people may act like respect is something that veterans are asking for, that people with injuries - whether visible or invisible - have to demonstrate they're worthy of it."
"Some of you here may sometimes feel that way about yourselves. That you have something to prove. But I've been thinking about something one of the competitors featured in the 'Heart of Invictus' shared. Mr. Na from South Korea said, 'I don't think we overcome disabilities. We overcome perceptions of ourselves in society.' These games are not solely about medals... They are about overcoming any and all perceptions that held you back, especially those you've placed on yourselves."
