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Prince Harry and Meghan reflect on their ‘meaningful’ visit to Canada

‘It filled our hearts to once again be surrounded by Canadian people, food and culture,’ Duke and Duchess of Sussex say

Amber Raiken
New York
Tuesday 20 February 2024 17:40 GMT
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Related: Prince Harry says ‘I love my family’ after King Charles visit

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have sweetly reflected on their “meaningful” trip to Canada, which they took in honour of the 2025 Invictus Games.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex opened up about their trip during an interview with People, published on 20 February. Their remarks came after they visited Whistler, Canada, where they met athletes at the Blackcomb resort in British Columbia in preparation for next year’s winter Invictus games.

Speaking to People, they specified how grateful they were for their three days in the city, which was a celebration to mark one year to go before the sporting event.

“We loved being back in Canada, a place so meaningful to both of us. It was an honour to be welcomed by the Four Host First Nations, as we marked One Year To Go, together with Invictus coaches, competitors and families,” they said.

The pair also reflect on how much they enjoyed being around the community in Canada, before acknowledging that they’re looking forward to returning to the city for the games, a sporting event for wounded and injured veterans that Harry first founded in 2014.

“It filled our hearts to once again be surrounded by Canadian people, food and culture,” they added about the trip. “We felt the Invictus spirit and excitement throughout Whistler and Vancouver, and are so grateful to all our hosts for organising such a memorable visit. We’re counting down the days until we return!”

On 16 February, Harry and Meghan ended their trip by attending the One Year to Go Dinner at the Vancouver Convention Center. For the occasion, the duchess wore an olive green, off-the-shoulder gown, while her husband wore a black suit.

Singer Michael Bublé also made an appearance at the dinner, where he performed a rendition of Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way”, with a sweet lyric change in honour of Harry. More specifically, he referred to the duke as a “visionary,” while sending his best wishes to King Charles, who recently announced that he was diagnosed with cancer.

“Who knew, dreams can come true, when life tells you, you’re far from finished / Nothing tames, Invictus Games, you play them your way,” Bublé sang at the event, as reported by People. “One man, life-changing plan, he does all he can, he’s a visionary / Our healing wishes for your dad / You’ve earned each day, the right to say, I did it my way.”

While in Canada last week, Harry also did a surprising interview with Good Morning America, where he spoke candidly about his father and family, including his and Meghan’s two children: Archie, four, and Lilibet, two.

During the interview, Harry revealed that he found out about his father’s cancer diagnosis when he spoke to Charles. He noted that he left California right after hearing the news, explaining: “I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could.”

Harry continued to express his love for his family, adding: “The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see [my father] and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for this.”

After Charles’ cancer diagnosis was announced on 5 February, it was also reported that Harry had travelled to the UK to visit his father, and that the meeting was only 30 or 45 minutes long. Although it’s unclear if he saw other members of the royal family while in London, it has been reported that he did not see his older, estranged brother, Prince William.

Harry, who published his bombshell book about the royal family, Spare, in January 2023, also briefly addressed what could be next for him and his father. When asked if Charles’ illness could have a “reunifying” effect on the royal family, during the Good Morning America interview, Harry said: “Yeah, I’m sure. Throughout all these families, I see it on a day-to-day basis, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness, brings families together.”

He also shared a sweet update about his two children, noting that they were “doing great” and growing up “very fast,” like most children do.

“They’ve both got an incredible sense of humour and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, like most kids do,” he added. “So, I’m just very grateful to be a dad.”

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