Duke and Duchess Prince Harry and Meghan open Invictus Video games in Canada

The Duke of Sussex referred to as on rivals to beat a “second of issue and division in lots of components of the world” as he opened the newest version of the Invictus Video games in Canada.

Prince Harry appeared on the opening ceremony in Vancouver together with his spouse, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, on Saturday.

The couple watched from the stands, cheering and clapping for the UK’s workforce as their rivals walked on the stage.

Their public look comes simply hours after US President Donald Trump spoke in regards to the couple in an interview, saying “I am going to go away him alone” when requested whether or not he thought Prince Harry ought to be deported.

“He is bought sufficient issues together with his spouse,” the president added. “She’s horrible.”

The prince based the Invictus Video games in London in 2014.

This yr marks the seventh version of the competitors for wounded army veterans, which can embrace greater than 500 athletes competing in 11 totally different occasions, together with for the primary time winter sports activities.

The ceremony included musical performances by Katy Perry, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado.

“We collect right here in Vancouver in a spirit of unity,” Prince Harry advised the group of 40,000.

Past any variations, right here on the Invictus Video games we’re grounded in mutual respect, competing fiercely, however believing in each other.”

“Over the previous decade I’ve misplaced rely of the occasions we have heard you inform us that the Invictus Video games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree. Invictus did not prevent. You saved your self,” the duke advised the rivals.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump advised the New York Submit that he wouldn’t be in favour of deporting the prince, who moved to the US in 2020.

Some activists have questioned the Duke of Sussex’s US visa standing after he admitted beforehand taking unlawful medicine in his memoir, Spare.

The Heritage Basis, a conservative suppose tank, filed a lawsuit asking for the duke’s immigration information, suggesting he had lied on his visa type or was given particular remedy when he and the duchess moved to Southern California in 2020.

Trump has beforehand advised that if Prince Harry was discovered to have lied “applicable motion” can be wanted.

However when requested on Friday by the New York Submit whether or not the duke can be deported, Trump mentioned: “I do not wish to do this. I am going to go away him alone.

“He is bought sufficient issues together with his spouse. She’s horrible.”

Former actress Meghan has been a vocal critic of Trump, calling him “divisive” and a “misogynist”, whereas Trump has beforehand referred to as Meghan “nasty”.

Within the interview, the president additionally praised Prince Harry’s older brother, Prince William, “a fantastic younger man”.

Admitting previous drug use doesn’t robotically end result denial of a US visa, however it could possibly trigger delays, and mendacity on a visa type can result in deportation.

US presidents don’t usually get entangled in particular person visa choices. The couple haven’t responded to Trump’s feedback.

The duke was impressed to arrange the video games after seeing the 2013 Warrior Video games within the US, the place injured and retired service personnel competed.

The primary version of the video games was held in London in 2014, with subsequent competitions being held within the US, Canada, and Australia.

The 2017 video games was additionally the place Prince Harry was pictured together with his then-girlfriend Meghan for the primary time.