Helen Helliwell, CEO of the Invictus Games in Birmingham, said she hopes Prince Harry will attend the event in person in 2027 – and the royal family are likely to be invited too
Prince Harry could be reunited with King Charles at the Invictus Games in 2027(Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry could be reunited with his father, King Charles, and other members of the royal family at a major sports event in England.
The Invictus Games will be held in Birmingham in 2027 and the organizer hopes the Duke of Sussex, who launched the contest for wounded, injured and sick armed forces members and veterans, back in 2014, will be able to attend it in person. Harry usually attends the international multi-sport event – and his wife, Meghan Markle, has been by his side at a number of locations including Canada and Germany.
As the competition returns to Harry’s birth country, Helen Helliwell, CEO of the Invictus Games in Birmingham, said she hopes the prince will attend it. She said, “We will be delighted if they come over for the year out and for the Games.
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“We are so far out it’s impossible for one individual to confirm their plans, but we would be delighted if the Duke were able to come.” Speaking to People, Helen said Harry’s passion for the contest is “unsurpassed” as she added he “brings a magical sparkle dust to his interactions, and there is a really special relationship with him and the community.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Invictus Games in Vancouver in February(Image: Samir Hussein, Samir Hussein/WireImagevia Getty Images)
Over the past decades, the event has “grown and grown and grown,” Helen said, and the fact that it’s not returning back to the UK is “really special,” she added. The CEO shared, “I think it’s going to be a really special moment for the whole country. But particularly, I think a real sense of pride for him in seeing just how far that movement has come.”
Last month, a source told the Mail on Sunday that Harry is likely to extend an “olive branch” to his family in England by inviting them to the event. According to the publication, the Duke was planning to send the royals an email invitation by the end of June – with a more formal invitation to follow.
The source said, “Invictus hopes the royal ramily will come along to support the wounded veterans taking part. Harry is hopeful his father will set aside their differences to attend the Invictus Games and support veterans.
“The royals have always been hugely supportive of Invictus and proud of what Harry has achieved in that arena. This is one olive branch from him which might be reciprocated.”
Harry and Meghan attending the UK Team Trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 in Bath, England(Image: Getty Images)
Helen said work is already underway for the Birmingham event, which she hopes will bringing in “a new audience” thanks to the introduction of e-sports, or gaming. She also highlighted the strong connection Birmingham has with the armed forces, saying, “There are such deep connections here with the armed forces [in Birmingham]. Queen Elizabeth Hospital treats our wounded and sick, and the Fisher House, which looks after families while the loved ones are being treated, are here.
“And then some of our military medics are trained at the Royal College of Defense Medicine. Then, of course, we’ve got the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Center and the reason as well. So really deep connection with the armed forces and then Birmingham just really well, world-renowned for putting on amazing events like the Commonwealth Games.”
While Harry’s presence hasn’t been confirmed yet, earlier this year a royal expert predicted Meghan is unlikely to attend the event due to security concerns. Royal expert and host of the To Di For Daily podcast Kinsey Schofield told The Mirror US, “I currently lean towards Meghan not attending Prince Harry’s 2027 Invictus Games in the UK because we have seen Meghan prioritize herself and her mental health over the last few years.”
He added, “I know that Meghan is currently not comfortable with the idea of returning to the UK. Prince Harry’s security concerns are a huge reason and compliment Meghan’s media insecurity. She fears returning and being rejected, booed. She feels vulnerable there.”
Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014(Image: Getty Images for Invictus Games)
In addition to Meghan’s personal apprehension, Harry also “fears for her physical safety related to a hypothetical visit.” Due to these concerns surrounding his wife’s well-being, Schofield explained, “That is why you’ve seen Prince Harry miss important weddings of friends, attend his uncle’s funeral solo, and the 10th anniversary of Invictus alone.”
After Harry lost his appeal against the dismissal of his High Court claim against the Home Office over the decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) that he should receive a different degree of protection when in the UK, the prince said it’s now “impossible” for him to bring Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, back to his country safely.
In an interview with the BBC, he said, “I can’t see a world in which I will be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point and the things they are going to miss is everything. I love my country and always have done…despite what some people in that country have done.”
He continued, “So I miss the UK. I miss parts of the UK. Of course, I do. I think it’s really quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland.” A spokesman for Invictus said, “No formal invitations have been issued as preparations are in the early stages.”
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