The Duchess of Sussex has headed back to the family’s Montecito residence, bearing gifts for her two young children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, after attending the Invictus Games alongside Prince Harry.
With Meghan’s return home, Prince Harry will now continue to support the Games on his own. Observers have already noted changes in his body language as he takes centre stage.
On the evening of Wednesday, 12 February, Meghan shared a post on Instagram showcasing the customised gifts she had brought back for her children, accompanied by the message: “A taste of Canada and The Invictus Games for our little ones! Cheering you [Harry] on from home! “.
During her five-day visit to Canada for the seventh iteration of the Invictus Games, Meghan, 43, joined Harry at events held in Vancouver and Whistler ski resort. In a speech delivered at the welcome ceremony on 31 January, she highlighted Harry’s dedication to the Games, which hold significant importance for him.
Addressing the participants, Meghan stated: “You are his family, just as we are his family, and I hope you recognise how much of his heart he has poured into every single beat that has gotten all of you to this week that is going to be spectacular. I need you to know that, I need you to know how much it means to him and how much each of you means to you.”, reports the Mirror.
Body language expert Judi James shared with the Mirror: “After being love-bombed by his wife for several days, Harry must have felt the chill of the icy Canadian slopes rather keenly as he emerged to work the Games alone here.
“He seems to be a subtler presence without his wife, posing at the back of this group rather than showboating in the middle, almost looking low-key in his grey knitted cap.
“His chats look a little less upbeat here. His smile is still in place, but he looks a little less assured and up for playful fun. It’s as though he has more of a desire to merge rather than dominate the poses now, putting the spotlight more on the competitors and fans.”
Despite the cooler atmosphere, Prince Harry hasn’t lost his sense of humour, as evidenced by the laughter he sparked among attendees at a breakfast event with a cheeky snowman joke. The Duke delivered the punchline after former US marine Michael Harrold challenged him to share his best dad joke, in front of Team USA competitors.
Michael Harrold, 41, recounted the moment to the Mirror: “He asked me ‘What is the difference between snowmen and snowwomen? … snowballs! ‘. Everyone laughed.”
Michael added: “I’d already told [Prince Harry] a joke my son made up and told him he owed me one back, so after he’d met a couple of other people he came back and found me. He’s got a good sense of humour and he’s very engaging.
“For a man of his calibre and his stature to make the time is fantastic. He makes the time to talk to people and remembers them from previous times he’s met them. He cares.”