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.

Oh no it was "experts" whoever they are...

It's obviously newspaper claptrap but the Royals can and do have an influence over what is said about them in the media. They and their households are leaky as a sieve when they want to be and hold back information when they want it to be held back.

as everyone can do I imagine.

Oh yes 'Philip The Nazi' and 'The Duchess of Pork', not to mention the cringefest that was Tampongate. Of course the royals have influence over what is said about them.

Really? Can you tell me where I can go to get my will sealed for 100 years, or my tax affairs hidden, or where I can be wanted for questioning by the FBI but just avoid it, and make sure no one knows about why I was sacked from my job for 65 years after my death?

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

The married ins are not protected in any way by the Royals. They are expected to deal with it . 'Tampongate was known about by the press for years before it was published. They sat on it until Charles and Di officially separated. Before that their obvious unhappiness was not spoken about at all.

That's not what you were talking about originally. You have changed the goalposts.

Meghan is certainly bringing an enthusiastic smiley face to the IG which has resulted in some great photos.

Let the Windsors have their salty media.

That passage is such a tell of where you are reading about the royals!

No, I said the Royals can control what is said about them. You said ' as can anyone'. Which is patently not true. Even grieving families of dead children can't stop the press harassing them. The Royals can and do stop the press publishing stiries about them. Thats the point of the Royal Rota. As actually we can see from Harry. He was protected within the Royal Family but now it's open season.

I honestly don't know Angrycat, I suspect even William might not know !

Just pointing out that the Dailybeast also printed a report that was positive about William but throwing shade on Harry and Meghan, they clearly had a change of heart sometime between the article of 2017 and the recent one of 2023.

I love M + H, I don't understand the hate on these threads. The rest of mums net is actually decent.

Oh it isnt hate it is well deserved criticism. Harold has behaved appallingly with his tell all books and media interviews.

At least for this week he's is doing something worthwhile.

550 competitors, 22 nations... Harry has nailed it.

No it's not, it's just vile. How do people sleep at night? If people spend all day writing vitriol on 2 strangers... Getting a hobby is healthier. I barely come on here now because people can come across as unhinged at times.

Really? Who told you that?

I thought it was 23 countries! but either way its grown from 10 originally and that means more vets and their families getting to experience something so positive :)

I have to say I’m impressed with how well Invictus has been going so far, and as this is the M&H thread, the role the Duke and Duchess have played.

No question, Harry has been central to Invictus’ success and growth since its inception. What we see and what is reported is obviously the tip of the iceberg in terms of the work he’s undoubtedly putting in, on a multitude of fronts, quietly behind the scenes, in his camaraderie with the participants and their support networks, as well as in the spotlight, in the images and footage we’ve all been seeing. All the cheering and hugging and selfies and speeches and events during which his and Meghan’s every move is being filmed and is already being dissected by the silly British tabloids’ “body language experts” and whatnot - must be exhausting and emotionally draining.

Honestly, Invictus couldn’t have hoped for better champions than Harry and Meghan. It’s so obvious that the participants absolutely LOVE having them there. It’s like the added bonus, the cherry on top of what is already an exceptional event for the vets, their families, their support network.

And hats off to Meghan too, there’s been such nasty (UK) press about her since she had the audacity to speak publicly about the way she was treated while with the RF that people may have forgotten what a natural she was with people and crowds before the RF rift. These past days at Invictus she’s been tirelessly regaling the participants through her hugs, selfies, speeches, cheers, elegant understated outfits, references to her kids, the LOT!

What a success! No wonder H&M haters are choking with rage, and sharpening their knives for the inevitable return to the mindless Hatin’ 24/7… some never stopped, including on these boards...

Anyway who cares about them, it’s just so lovely to see all the positivity around Invictus and H&M’s central role in it.

Enjoy this!

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/prince-harry-meghan-markles-popularity-141334970.html

Well I think they are great.
Am loving the invictus coverage and I hope the event goes from strength to strength.

Hear hear!

I hope the additional attention plus Heart of Invictus means they'll be able to support more vets throughout the year, and add more teams in the next iteration.

Loving the positivity :)

Yep!

The swiftness with which the story on a poll indicating that the majority (of about 2 000) of people believe Diana would make a better queen than Camilla disappeared from the Daily Mail was a thing to behold. It was the biggest headline under their Queen Consort tag at first, but was removed as a top story in about an hour and the only place you find it is elsewhere, very low down in Royal news.

Quite why Diana is still being polled at all is beyond me.

In contrast there were at least three big stories about Harry and Meghan's popularity sinking. All given more prominence than the Camilla Diana result. I managed to grab this, which amuses me as it asks whether Meghan, Camilla, Kate and Sophie should be in the line of succession.

Why the 2000 people polled didn't ask why this a question, as the women married into the royal men are not in the line of succession, perhaps speaks to the discernment of people responding to such polls.

It's dog whistle. They want to ask, but know they can't, whether Harry and Meghan's children should be removed from the line of succession.

That question, when it comes, and it will, from the media claiming to speak for the "public" will open such a can of worms in the Commonwealth that no amount of "never complain, and never explain" will be able to cover it.

Until they ask directly, Meghan is the safest target.

It did backfire though because poor Beatrice and Eugenie got caught up in the cross fire, along with Andrew and Camilla!

Looks like it's been very successful for them both and I'm delighted. They would have been so great for the royal family if they had been allowed to shine. They are so young and vibrant , makes the rest of the royals looks so old and stuffy.

Looks like it’s been a great success for them both and they look really happy. The reports of his birthday celebration sound like they had a lovely time too.

They both looked in their element at the games.

I wish you had posted before me @MissElinorDashwood

I was under the impression that William was to meet NATO chiefs, too, though if I had thought more deeply about it, I would have wondered why he is meeting them in NY, never mind meeting them at all.

So @Viviennemary:

Harry, founder of the Invictus Games for wounded servicemen and women is not allowed to meet, in Dusseldorf, the officials from the international organisation NATO, membership 31 "North Atlantic" states, mandate: defence and security ....

... and this because William, travelling to New York for Earthshot, his environmental prize, will speak at an entirely different international organisation, the United Nations, membership 193, so pretty much the whole freaking world, mandate: pretty much everything including climate change?

Got it. That makes perfect sense!