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DURING A MAKE OR BREAK TRIP TO GERMANY, THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX SHINE

- Kylie Walters

Taking to the stage in Düsseldorf on September 16 for the closing ceremony of the 2023 Invictus Games, Prince Harry was greeted by the sound of rapturous applause.

“I’m sure you are all physically exhausted, who wouldn’t be?” the Duke of Sussex asked the cheering crowd. “But I also hope that you are mentally stronger than when you arrived… You have shown us the power in not defining people by assumption or their back story or past pain, but rather instead on their ability, how they show up and who they are in the present.”

While his comments were directed at the athletes – the wounded and sick military veterans who take part in the paralympic-style event – the sentiment must have also echoed his relief at the success of his and wife Meghan Markle’s appearance too.

This year hasn’t been an easy one for Harry, 39. Personal anecdotes in his memoir Spare, such as how he treated his frostbite, saw the once popular prince draw criticism from many quarters. And his attempts to get into big business with Spotify, which reportedly included a pitch to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin about his childhood, saw an executive from the streaming giant label the couple as “f--king grifters”.