The Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry, have kicked off in Vancouver-Whistler, Canada, with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring performances from Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
The spectacular event took place at the city’s BC Place Stadium, which has a capacity of 40,000, and began at 9pm UK time.
This year’s games are expected to be the biggest and best yet. As Team United Kingdom made their entrance into the stadium, cameras panned to Harry and Meghan in the stands, both of whom received enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
The entire stadium then stood for the national anthem as hosts Canada entered to a standing ovation. Indigenous leaders from the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh, where the games are being held, performed a symbolic welcome gesture for the competitors by raising wooden paddles.
Over 500 competitors from 23 countries will participate in the games, entering the stadium in an Olympic-style parade escorted by Canadian Armed Forces Cadets carrying placards with their country’s names.
Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado entertained the crowd with some of her most popular hits, followed by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin performing the Invictus Games anthem, which he composed in 2014.
Martin was seen paying tribute to Prince Harry and sharing a joke with him, much to the amusement of Harry and Meghan who were caught on camera laughing. The crowd rose to their feet as Martin performed Coldplay’s hit Viva La Vida, with Harry and Meghan among them.
Meghan was even spotted capturing the moment on her mobile phone. Master Corporal James Gendron led “a shared moment of healing” with his bagpipes.
The serviceman, who has previously suffered psychological injuries in Afghanistan after playing at 63 separate funeral-style ceremonies for fallen soldiers, was joined on stage by additional pipers and drummers, creating a powerful sound within the arena. Harry had previously spoken about the Team Canada competitor at the closing ceremony of the last Invictus Games.
This year marks the first time winter sports such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, and Nordic skiing will be included in the Invictus Games. Starting today (February 8), the Games, which are a passion project for Prince Harry, will run until February 16.
Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 to support wounded, injured, or sick service personnel and veterans. The prince is known to be deeply involved in what many consider his legacy project, which holds personal significance due to his own military service.
Organisers have announced that this year’s Invictus Games will be the largest to date, following previous events held in cities like London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague, and Dusseldorf.
Scheduled to occur at eight distinct locales in Vancouver and the ski retreat of Whistler, this iteration will roll out on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations—Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil Waututh.
Scott Moore, the Chief Executive Officer, stated: “We will deliver the best ever Invictus Games over the next nine days. These Games will be life-changing.”
Mr. Moore continued: “I was lucky enough to do eleven Olympic Games in my career. People ask me what is the difference between the Olympic Games and the Invictus Games. The Olympic Games changes lives… the Invictus Games saves lives.”
Harry and Meghan were spotted arriving in Vancouver last night after travelling by private jet from Santa Barbara, near their residence in Montecito.
At a welcome reception for competitors on Friday 7, Harry’s dedication to the event was spotlighted as Meghan fondly referred to participants as “family”.
Addressing those gathered, Meghan commented: “You will see him throughout this week, you will see him at the Games, you will see him probably curling with you, cheering you on. He wants to be there with you, he is in it with you.”
Meghan shared a heartfelt insight into the private moments leading up to the Invictus Games, revealing the family’s morning rush and her husband’s dedication. “What you won’t have seen is all of the moments in the lead-up to these Games.
“All of the moments with, as you know, with families, the big rush in the morning, and getting ready for school and packing the lunch boxes and making breakfast and my husband’s in all of that with us.”
She described how their son Archie would question his father’s phone use, to which he’d reply, “And then he’ll be on his phone, and Archie will say, ‘Papa, why are you on your phone? ‘. He’s like, ‘cos it’s Invictus… I’m getting ready for Invictus’. It means so much to him.”
Meghan expressed the deep significance of the event to her husband: “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.”