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.

They all seem to love Harry and Meghan.

Harry is as Veteran himself. And he’s inherited Diana’s undeniable ability to connect with people. Especially children.

Both Harry and Meghan seem very much a part of the Invictus family.

There is such a feeling of good will at the Games.

And those who watched Heart of Invictus and who are watching the Invictus Games wouldn’t think of ‘all the focus being on Harry and Meghan’, because it just isn’t.

In my country, we refer to Meghan by one of the clan titles shared by women reputed to be our country's most determined daughters-in-law. The joke here is that Meghan found Harry living off his grandmother, wearing scruffy clothes, without a title deed to his name and said Right, you need a job, you need better clothes, and we need a mortgage.

I love this. 😂 I’ll go with this perspective.

As the song goes 2 out of 3 ain't bad 😆

People on this forum can't stop banging on about how the pair are supposedly universally loathed.

Really like the two of them as a couple, must be nice for them to be put and about and getting nice attention for once

Yeah, I like them too and they look like they're having a great time.

It's laughable to try and pretend the British media are even handed when it comes to these two ( and especially Meghan). And lo and behold in today's Mailonline a story about how Harry's rift with the Royals is causing harm to Invictus andcthe getersns feelnstuck in the middle. Despite interview after interview saying they love it and love Harry. The narrative again is that this is because of Meghan. Nothing to do with any of the Royals. Who didn't even acknowledge it or wish the GB tesm good luck. Instead they went on a PR drive to take attention from it.

Where does it say they blame Meghan?

Apologies, I see it now " since Harry met Meghan"

Instead they went on a PR drive to take attention from it.

Or, they got back to BAU after their summer break. Or are you suggesting that the Queen purposefully died a year out from Invictus, or the IRB scheduled the World Cup to start at the same time deliberately to spite Harry?

No, but why the sudden podcast appearance? Why no ' good kick to team gb?'

Because three senior royals are the patrons of three teams in the RWC and also have a former RWC champion who has a rugby-focussed podcast in the immediate family. So it’s a happy synchronicity, and also away to talk about other topics that they want to raise, like the importance of the Lionesses as role models for women’s team sports.

Harry is the patron of Invictus. They would absolutely be accused of muscling in and looking to share his limelight if they said anything about Invictus. They also already do a lot to support the armed forces and veterans.

Also, Harry was formerly patron of the RFU and is a big rugby fan. He’s not wished the England team good luck. Shouldn’t you hold him to the same standards?

Do you mean the article which is critical of the royals and calls them petty? A point also previously made by supporters of Meghan and Harry on this very forum?

King Charles III visited Tomintoul in the Cairngorms where he was welcomed by primary school children and community stalwarts.

An anonymous UK media strategist said: 'It's ironic Buckingham Palace has had more to say about the Highland Games than the Invictus Games, despite the honorary military roles they hold.

'In doing so, the palace ends up looking mean-spirited and petty. The ill will against Harry should not be held against the Invictus competitors.'

Is this the article you’re referring to that you say is NOT balanced?

It’s ahead of the rugby world cup (that podcast has a massive coverage event on board a ship) with all the home nations competing and they are the patrons of the home teams

Members of the RF generally don't send messages to organisations they are not closely linked with, even if that organisation is focussed on the military or veterans.

For example, the number of veteran residents at the Royal Hospital Chelsea is larger than the number helped by Invictus, but even their major event on Founder's Day wouldn't get a message from any Royals (other than if one was taking the Parade). And that's despite the Monarch being the head of the Institution.

There are many, many veterans' official and charitable events (with far larger reach than IG) which do not get Royal messages or attendance. That's not to devalue IG - simply to point out that it does not have unusual importance.

Not sudden in rugby terms - the dates of the World Cup have been known for ages.

@Serenster

It's very clear that the Windsors are playing "ignore and distract".

It's amusing to see how William and Kate, usually noted for being workshy, suddenly have an event almost everyday this week. Even Camilla who has been pretty much invisible since the Coronation is out and about.

I have honestly never seen so much of them in one week.

It's clearly a fight for headlines, to beat Harry's.

While I am amused that this is what it takes to get them moving, I am actually glad Wiliam and Kate are doing stuff. Not only because they do far too little, (even the Queen supposedly called Kate Duchess DoLittle) but also because it proves Harry's fundamental point in SPARE, which is that there is resentment in that family when someone not born to the role or who marries in, outshines those born to it.

Meanwhile in Germany, the media is so great, and it's all about the Games.

The DF had a perplexed article about the Windsors not being a talking point at all in the German press coverage. Will share some of their baffled reporting when I get a moment, it's really funny.

Almost as though they expect the Germans to do what the Sun did yesterday, and print a front page picture of Meghan and Kate, pitting them against each other over their hairstyles.

This is the sort of thing that makes UK tabloids such a joke. But a really unfunny one. There was a survey a few years ago (linked below) that showed the UK print media is the least trusted in Europe. Small wonder.

But you know what, I hope this is the trend going forward.

Let the Windsors have their salty media. I believe Harry and Meghan when they said they were done with the "looking back" phase, and are now "looking forward". Onward and upward!

https://pressgazette.co.uk/publishers/nationals/survey-finds-that-uk-written-press-is-by-some-way-the-least-trusted-in-europe/

@MrsMaxDeWinter I noticed that the coverage is very positive. This is unusal.

Is there something afoot with his court case?

Do they need to show "fair and balanced"?

'It's amusing to see how William and Kate, usually noted for being workshy, suddenly have an event almost everyday this week. Even Camilla who has been pretty much invisible since the Coronation is out and about. I have honestly never seen so much of them in one week.It's clearly a fight for headlines, to beat Harry's. While I am amused that this is what it takes to get them moving, I am actually glad Wiliam and Kate are doing stuff. Not only because they do far too little, (even the Queen supposedly called Kate Duchess DoLittle)'

Such nasty comments. Oh yes of course the Queen called Catherine Duchess DoLittle 🙄

Why can't you just enjoy Harold's one week of positivity and popularity?

Yes I’m sure that was the ONLY factor in when the rugby world cup was scheduled, and that it’s been September every 4 years just by coincidence

It's amusing to see how William and Kate, usually noted for being workshy, suddenly have an event almost everyday this week.

What a ridiculous comment.😂

Perhaps this is a new start for them as M is looking to rebrand and get away from all the negativity they have created.

Noting the frequency at which some have been posting that something supposedly “unusual” is happening (W&K doing engagements, H&M getting decent press when they do something good) but never once wondering if their assumptions might just have been… wrong

Why is it a ridiculous comment when it has been a talking point for years?

Happy to send you any number of links, but to start with, even Tom Sykes, their go to person at The Daily Beast, you know, the one who usually has so much to say about what "friends" of William and Kate have told him about "how they feel" about Meghan and Harry wrote about it.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-prince-william-and-kate-middleton-have-a-work-problem