Prince Harry to return to UK to celebrate Invictus Games anniversary

The Duke of Sussex will soon return to the UK for a ceremony to mark 10 years of the Invictus Games.

The Invictus Games first took place in London in 2014 and was founded by Prince Harry as a sporting event for injured and sick military personnel and veterans.

Harry will be at the service of thanksgiving at London’s St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday 8 May, where he is expected to provide a reading.

Since 2020, he has lived in the US with his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their two children Archie and Lilibet.

Harry’s arrival to the UK will mark his first time in the country since he visited his father in February when King Charles’ cancer diagnosis was announced. Buckingham Palace announced earlier this week that King Charles is to return to public royal duties next week after responding well to his cancer treatment.

The prince’s return for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games is also the first major event he has attended in Britain for some time.

It is not currently known whether any other members of the Royal Family will be in attendance at the service, nor if the Duchess of Sussex and their children will be travelling over with him.

The service is set to include readings from Harry and the British actor Damian Lewis. Wounded veterans and members of the Invictus community will also attend.

According to organisers, the event will mark “a decade of changing lives and saving lives through sport”.

Earlier this month, Harry formally confirmed his status as a US resident. Travalyst, a travel company he controls, filed paperwork informing British authorities that he has moved and is now “usually resident” in the United States.

This formal acknowledgement comes four years after he and Meghan walked away from royal duties for a life in North America – first in Canada, and now in Montecito in Southern California.

For some, this move underscores the prince’s increasing estrangement from Britain. The release of his 2023 memoir, Spare, featured Harry detailing his complicated relationship with his elder brother, the Prince of Wales, among other familial gripes.

Harry has only returned to Britain on rare occasions since his departure, mostly for major events such as the 2022 funeral of Queen Elizabeth and his father’s coronation in May 2023.