The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Invictus Games 2023

[MrsMaxDeWinter]

Most of the Invictus threads seem to be filling up, or focused on fairly parochial issues, so I thought, now that Meghan is in Dusseldorf, I would lead us off with a general new thread about Harry and Meghan at Invictus 2023.

Some initial thoughts from me.

The UK tabloid narrative about how much Harry and Meghan are loathed globally is blown apart by the warm and rousing welcome they both received, both separately and together. So the UK tabloids have to dig deep to write eye-rollingly silly stories about Harry being "humiliated" because he did not score a goal during a fun, light-hearted TV appearance to promote the Games.

Invictus clearly means everything to Harry, and it is lovely to see Meghan supporting him, and to remember that it was at Invictus in Toronto that they first went public. The event must have such lovely memories for them both.

Favourite picture: Meghan with Glory Essien, the Nigerian athlete.

The Nigerians have really lit up the tournament. A Kenyan senator who met Harry last week posted on X that she would work on Kenya to be the next African team.

After everything in the last year, it's so lovely to see that Invictus is getting bigger, that Harry is as committed as he has always been to the Games he started, and that Meghan is there to support the veterans, and her husband.

No one forces the press to publish these photos. If they are staged, they are then sold on to the press who print them, without fail. If they didn't buy them, there would be no demand.

Of course the RF have agreements with the Press. They have to or it would be a circus . Of course they shun Harry. Wouldn’t you if your son/brother wrote a book about you for profit slating you? Or went on TV to expose private details, again for profit? I certainly would. Diana wrote her book via Andrew Morton and later regretted it but it wasn’t as nasty or as explicit . I don’t think that was a good move either. Charles had mentioned that his childhood was cold and did an interview in which he admitted having an affair. Didn’t do him any good either. However he wasn’t giving very detailed personal information ( Much if it motivated by petty jealousy). Harry and Megan’s behaviour is on a whole different level.

Harry has complained endlessly about the media, but he uses it without compunction to serve his own ends and mostly to make money from hurting others.

I don't get why she was leading the UK team on parade, so weird and cringey. It's nice she's supporting him but it's possible to do this rather than overtaking and centering yourself in something that you have nothing to do with.

Meghan is now writing her ‘memoirs’ according to the press. If that’s true, we all know what the slant will be.

Another thing Harry did behind the scenes, that is seemingly getting zero coverage in the UK press, is invite the UK Minister for Defence People, Andrew Murrisson, to Invictus.

Andrew spent the weekend in Düsseldorf as Minister for Defence People at the opening of the Invictus Games. He met TeamUK and chatted with athletes and supporters before meeting ministerial counterparts including Ukraine's Yulia Laputina

https://www.andrewmurrison.co.uk/news/murrison-invictus

Those are to be expected when you have an official role. It’s their job.

Its not a job, its a made up nonsense and their 'charity work' should;t be paid for by the tax payer.

A toxic and abusive relationship' . You really do a disservice and insult to those in abusive relationships. @Janiie having been in and around one as a child and an adult, I don't think I do, I think I can recognise one better than most who haven't got the experience. So can Tyler Perry who I was referring to as he also grew up like I did. You have this awful habit of speaking for people or groups you don't have anything to do with and stating Harry or a poster here is somehow doing a disservice when its your nasty comments that are offensive.

I'm not fussed on the sickly sweet photo ops but I don't get why she's awarding medals and being part of the parades when she's done nothing of note for veterans. I can understand Harry doing it but her sense of self importance is quite something. She can't let him have anything for himself, pretty sad. Shame their children are missing out as well, I'm sure they could have agreements to ensure their privacy, happy to use photos of other people's children in their puff pieces.

I see you're having trouble following again. The posters here are complaining Meghan herself is taking the focus off the veterans, deliberately to some, and I am saying that she only is if they focus on her. Nobody is making them talk about her. Talk about the vets if thats who you wish to talk about. You can't blame her if thats who you, general you, or the press, choose to focus on instead of the veterans. The OP is not blaming Meghan or Harry for 'taking focus off the vets'. See the difference?

More behind the scenes work from Harry... he's still Chief Impact Officer at BetterUp I believe...

https://twitter.com/BetterUp/status/1702383983743607045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1702383983743607045%7Ctwgr%5Ebe5a6f20cec23dba4f73f132b8759bacb3955df2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.celebitchy.com%2F835672%2Fthe_sussexes_are_being_mobbed_by_crowds_wherever_they_go_in_germany%2F

and he left soon after and before the end of the game. If that is the case, you would have to ask are the games really being run very professionally.

If the commenter made the effort to watch, they would know that’s a lie….and others wouldn’t repeat the lie. It’s common courtesy to check if it’s true yourself before spreading the lie. I find this utterly disrespectful.

Meghan marching out with the vets is another moment that gives a really unprofessional vibe and even Harry looked out of place when he marched with them.

Unless you watched throughout, it’s hard to take this comment seriously.

There are a lot of royals that look out of place with the military….so best not to go there.

It reminds me of the coronation when there was all the frothing beforehand that she better not come and then the frothing when she didn't go about how rude she was and going for a walk meant she planned a pap shot in order to take focus off them. Here she is being criticised for going to support her husbands charity and as his wife and a public figure bringing lots of attention to it, because apparently she should always, always, stay at home and out of sight.

I sincerely hope that they do what they want and forget the people who will always see something to complain about no matter what they do. Those whining about her daring to show her face in public are really best ignored. People like that will distract you from your goals if you give them attention. Something I also picked up from a talk Tyler Perry gave, and I imagine he is sharing the same advice with them. Focus on your goal and don't get distracted by those who spend their time criticising, instead of doing something worthwhile. You won't reach your goals by fighting battles with people who will never be happy no matter what you do.

I liked this one so much I will share it here too, a veteran from Kent,

'... he shook the hand of every single athlete... without Prince Harry's advice and constant commitment individual lives like mine wouldn't be touched... and he is one of us!'

The whole clip is quite moving.

https://twitter.com/kmfmnews/status/1702957476184768602

I'm no photography expert but that photo was definitely not taken by a mobile phone. It has to be a professional photo.

Great clip.

I imagine that the Games are really quite cathartic for some of these guys.

Another thing Harry did behind the scenes, that is seemingly getting zero coverage in the UK press, is invite the UK Minister for Defence People, Andrew Murrisson, to Invictus.

Did he? Or did the Invictus Fundation Invite the Minister of Defence? Or the German government? There were quite a few representatives of government defence ministries attending the Games (unsurprisingly) - did Harry invite them all or did they independently make the decision to support their delegations and liaise with the German government about it?

The posters here are complaining Meghan herself is taking the focus off the veterans, deliberately to some, and I am saying that she only is if they focus on her. Nobody is making them talk about her.

I don’t know - somehow I think that if Meghan had worn an outfit similar to this, as she did at a previous games she attended, and had not worn 10 different outfits over the last 3 days, I imagine there might have been a bit less talk about her?

There would be criticism if she had. Because she always gets it in the neck whatever she does

Of course. She’s a royal woman.

She should wear whatever she chooses. I think scrutinising what women wear and implying they should wear something so they go unnoticed, is misogyny.

Of course she can wear what she wants. I am just pointing out that if she had wanted to make sure coverage of what she was wearing was kept to a minimum, wearing 3 or more fashion outfits a day was not the best way to do this. This is not rocket science - she has told us herself in the Netflix documentary that she was alive to the optics of her clothing choices.

I don’t know - somehow I think that if Meghan had worn an outfit similar to this, as she did at a previous games she attended, and had not worn 10 different outfits over the last 3 days, I imagine there might have been a bit less talk about her? I know. I don't know how she thought this was a good idea. Maybe she was being paid to model the clothes.

Women policing what women wear.

I don’t know - somehow I think that if Meghan had worn an outfit similar to this, as she did at a previous games she attended, and had not worn 10 different outfits over the last 3 days, I imagine there might have been a bit less talk about her?

Oh dear. The hypocrisy and lack of discernment.

She can wear what she likes. She didn’t take attention away from the veterans.

If you were watching the games throughout, you’d know it was extremely hot so a lot of people were changing their clothes multiple times a day (lots of sweaty patches 🙈).

They were attending official meetings (daily) behind the scenes with military delegation, sponsors etc as well as attending the games. Their attire changed accordingly.

This conversation is ridiculous. She isn’t tax funded so why the over the top scrutiny? The fact that you don’t scrutinise the clothes worn by the billionaire, tax funded royals and the attention they take away from their visits, tells me that this ‘criticism’ is disingenuous.

The fact is, she’s a fashionista as is Kate. Get over it.

Was it 3 a day?
If so, I haven't seen them

She should wear whatever she chooses. What about a ball gown and a pair of flippers?