Prince Harry was seen giving British athletes and competitors a warm hug as he presented medals after a swimming competition at the Invictus Games.
The Duke of Sussex, 37, lovingly hugged gold medalist Rachel Williamson and silver medalist Sally Renard on day four of the Paralympic-style event he organized for wounded service personnel.
Harry, who is staying in The Hague after wife Meghan, 40, flew back to California to join children Archie and Lilibet, was seen beaming with Team United Kingdom before presenting his awards.
The king, who played table tennis and virtual golf with athletes, was also seen giving a warm hug to an Australian competitor in the Zuiderpark.
Prince Harry was seen giving British athletes and competitors a warm hug as he presented medals after a swimming competition at the Invictus Games
Harry, 37, who remains in The Hague after wife Meghan flew back to California, was seen beaming with Team United Kingdom before presenting his awards
RAF veteran Williamson competed at the Invictus Games in Sydney 2018 and is this year’s Team UK captain, while former RAF Sergeant Renard has been selected for the Games this year for the first time since being injured while on tour in Afghanistan.
Harry’s appearance tonight comes after news that the Duke gave NBC’s Today Show host Hoda Kotb a sit-in interview while he was in the Netherlands.
The program claimed Harry will talk about the Invictus Games, his surprise and supposedly secret visit to the Queen last week and his life with wife Meghan.
The Duke gave his meeting a positive note, telling the BBC yesterday it was “great to see her” during a brief stopover ahead of his arrival in the Netherlands for the competition.
Harry was seen hugging as he presented medals in the swimming competition on day four of the Invictus Games
The Duke of Sussex was also seen giving a warm hug to an Australian competitor in the Zuiderpark
He said his grandmother “had a lot of news for Team UK” and “would have liked to have been here if she could”.
The chat will be previewed tonight on NBC Nightly News, which airs at 11:30 p.m. UK time (6:30 p.m. Eastern time, in New York) – and then tomorrow from 12:00 p.m. UK time (7:00 a.m p.m. Eastern Time) shown in full on the Today program.
The interview comes just a year after his infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey on CBS, in which he and Meghan accused unnamed royals of racism.
The Duke has a deeply strained relationship with his family – particularly his father Prince Charles and brother Prince William – and missed the memorial service at Westminster Abbey for his grandfather Prince Philip last month.
Royal aides will be concerned that details from a private meeting will be revealed, adding to fears of what could be in his forthcoming memoir and Netflix, which will chronicle his every move at the games.
Prince Harry hands out medals at the swimming competition on day four of the Invictus Games The Hague 2020 at the Zuiderpark
The Duke was seen lovingly hugging various competitors on day four of the Invictus Games at Het Hofbad Den Haag, Netherlands
The Duke has already been accused in recent days of using his platform at the games to promote BetterUp, the California mental health start-up for which he is the chief impact officer – after the two announced a partnership.
Meanwhile, the Duke revealed that his youngest child Lilibet, 10 months, has “taken her first steps” and is “trying to keep up with her big brother Archie”.
In an interview with People magazine, Harry said he can’t wait to take his children to the Invictus Games in the future and that Archie, who turns three next month, wants to follow in his footsteps to become a helicopter pilot.
Harry added he was a “proud dad” and little Archie “loved” videos of wheelchair basketball and rugby he showed him from the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney.
Prince Harry warmly hugs one of the winners during the awards ceremony of a swimming competition at the Invictus Games
The Duke of Sussex hugs competitor Lisa Johnston from Team United Kingdom during the swim at the Invictus Games at Zuiderpark The Hague
“I showed him that some legs were missing and explained that some had invisible injuries as well,” he said. “Not because he asked, but because I wanted to tell him. Kids understand so much and seeing it through his eyes was amazing because it’s so unfiltered and honest.”
He added to the US tabloid: “When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it’s an astronaut, other days it’s a pilot – obviously a helicopter pilot – or kwazii from Octonauts.” to a daredevil cat from a children’s cartoon.
“But I remind him that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it’s your character that matters most and nothing would make his mother and I prouder than to see that he has the character, we see before us today,’ he said
Earlier this week, the Duke of Sussex spoke of his quest to make “the world a better place” for his children, saying that people “shouldn’t bring children into the world” unless they are ready to have them for them to improve.
The Duke of Sussex hugs a medalist in the swimming competition on day four of the Invictus Games
The Duke of Sussex was seen tonight at the Invictus Games giving a warm hug to an Australian competitor
The Duke of Sussex hugs gold medalist Rachel Williamson and silver medalist Sally Renard on day four of the Invictus Games
Speaking to the Dutch Kindercorrespondent reporters during the Invictus Games in The Hague, Harry said he wanted his two young children to grow up “in a fairer world, a safer world, a more equal world”.
“It won’t be easy, but I will never rest until, as a parent, I have at least tried to make the world a better place for them because it is our responsibility to make the world the way it is now.” the Duke told child reporters aged 11 and 12.
“I don’t think we should bring children into the world unless we commit to making it better for them. We can’t steal your future.’
Harry lovingly hugged British competitors tonight on the fourth day of his Paralympic-style event
The Duke of Sussex awards medals in the swimming competition on day four of the Invictus Games
Prince Harry hugs a participant during the swimming competition on day four of the Invictus in The Hague
Earlier in the week, Harry and Meghan hugged Lisa Johnston, a former medic and Army amputee who received a medal
Dave Henderson, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex take part in the track and field competition on day two of the Invictus Game