Prince Harry has made his first public appearance in Britain since returning to the UK with his wife, Meghan, and their two children after several years living in California.
The Duke of Sussex attended the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards in London on Thursday, where he met wounded and injured veterans and took part in a ceremony celebrating members of the Invictus community.
Harry arrived at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich wearing a black tie outfit and his military medals. He posed for photographs and took selfies with veterans and other guests at the event.
The awards recognise individuals and organisations connected with the Invictus community for achievements including resilience, rehabilitation, sporting recovery and support for veterans.
Harry, who founded the Invictus Games in 2014, also addressed guests during the ceremony. He reflected on his military service and the experiences that inspired him to establish the international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
He said he was pleased to be back in Britain and expressed his enthusiasm about meeting the award winners and nominees.
Earlier in the day, Harry attended an event organised by Save the Children and Imperial College London focused on improving care for children affected by conflict.
His return to public engagements comes after the family moved back to Britain from the United States. Harry and Meghan had stepped back from their roles as senior working members of the royal family in 2020 and subsequently established their main home in California.
Their return has drawn attention to arrangements for their children’s education and security. The couple have reportedly been reviewing security arrangements following concerns surrounding their children’s school commute.
Harry is also scheduled to take part in the launch of an Invictus education programme and attend the annual WellChild Awards later this month.
The Invictus Games will also return to Britain in 2027, with Birmingham due to host the next edition. The event will mark another homecoming for the competition Harry established more than a decade ago.
Harry’s first public appearance since returning to the UK comes as the wider royal family continues to attract attention over separate issues, including claims contained in a forthcoming memoir by Charles Spencer, the brother of Harry’s late mother, Diana.
For Harry, however, his latest appearances have focused on his long-standing work with veterans, children and charitable organisations as he begins a new chapter of public engagements in Britain.
