They came, they saw, they conquered. Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, were the real winners at the Invictus Games, with their first official appearance together in months doing wonders for Brand Sussex.
They both seemed thrilled to be attending the Games held in Düsseldorf, Germany - which was founded by Harry for wounded military personnel back in 2014. The pair hugged competitors, chatted to fans and posed for selfies. They were animated as they cheered on ex-service people from around the world. Meghan even blew kisses to contestants and enthusiastically clapped along to music. At one stage, she had to wipe the tears away after one particularly emotional victory.
And they indulged in numerous public displays of affection, seemingly unfazed by anyone witnessing their tender moments.
"They delighted the crowds by cheering on competitors and mingling with their families," says royal correspondent Victoria Newton. She noted how, on the second to last day of the event, attendees showed their affection for Harry by singing Happy Birthday to him when it was announced it was his 39th birthday.
The way they interacted with people at the Games and the reception they got goes to show what a loss they are to the royal family, says another media commentator. UK broadcaster Bev Turner says, "It makes me sad because of the difference they could have made."
Harry made some poignant remarks in his speech at the closing ceremony that seemed to allude to what he lost after leaving his royal role.
"For many of you, the uniform you have been wearing this past week will give you a new story to tell," the former army captain said. "And for others, it may give your old uniform new meaning. But I am here to remind you that after all this, you don't need to rely on a uniform, nor should you ever feel lost without one. Why? Because everything you need is within you."
この記事は New Zealand Woman's Weekly の September 25, 2023 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は New Zealand Woman's Weekly の September 25, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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