Prince Harry is ready to tell how special Canada is to him and his wife Meghan as he prepares to launch the Invictus Games in Vancouver tomorrow.
Harry will tell the crowd about his fond memories of their time in the country when the couple attend Vancouver Whistler 2025’s One Year to Go. celebrations later this week, according to The Telegraph.
The event, which will take place between Wednesday and Friday, aims to publicize the Invictus 2025 Games, which will take place on February 8 and 16 next year.
Harry and Meghan are said to have enjoyed their time on Vancouver Island, where they went after stepping down from royal duties in 2019.
The Duke has previously spoken about how Canada felt like home and that “we could imagine spending the rest of our lives there.” Meghan is also said to have a great affection for Canada since she lived in Toronto while filming ‘Suits’.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend wheelchair tennis on day 3 of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, walks on the ice before the Vancouver Canucks face the San Jose Sharks in an NHL game at Rogers Arena on Nov. 20, 2023.
The Duchess of Sussex at the IG25 and Team Canada reception at the Hilton Hotel during the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany on September 15, 2023.
Harry and Meghan stayed on Vancouver Island in a £14 million home in North Saanich, British Columbia, following their decision to step back as working members of the royal family.
The separation was called Megxit and the couple remained in Canada for several months before moving to Montecito in California before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Harry also wrote in his memoir Spare that Vancouver offered him a “taste of freedom” that inspired them to escape public life more permanently.
He wrote: ‘What if life could be like this… all the time? What if we could spend at least part of each year somewhere far away, still working for the Queen, but out of reach of the press?
‘If we could find a place the press didn’t know about, we said, Canada might be the answer. Meg contacted a friend in Vancouver who put us in touch with a real estate agent and we started looking at houses.
Ahead of next year’s games, the governments of Canada and British Columbia have committed to spending almost £20 million to host the games in February 2025.
And for the first time, adapted winter sports such as downhill skiing, Nordic skiing and curling will be included in the week-long program of events held at Whistler resort.
Officials have said the local indigenous population is being consulted about planning for the games.
Harry and Meghan attend the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games Dusseldorf 2023 at the Merkur Spiel-Arena on September 16, 2023.
While in Vancouver, Harry and Meghana are also expected to visit the Invictus training camp at the Whistler ski resort.
His trip comes amid claims that the appointment of TV executive Scott Moore as Invictus’ new chief executive will help them push through a major new streaming deal.
Moore replaces the Duke of Sussex’s friend and former aide Nick Booth, who took over on a temporary basis last year amid chaos at the top when two bosses were abruptly sacked in the autumn.
He is reputed to have made major sports television deals and overseen coverage of numerous Olympic and Paralympic Games, the FIFA World Cup and the Commonwealth Games while he was head of CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster.
Insiders have said her appointment is a big sign that Harry and Meghan will use their ‘star power’ and ties to win a big streaming deal for Invictus 2025, which will feature winter sports for the first time, likely with Netflix in first place. rejection.
Last September, Invictus Dusseldorf broadcast its ceremonies and sports via its website. The BBC also showed the events via Red Button and iPlayer, but it was not widely broadcast on German television.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede told MailOnline: “Harry’s latest move in signing Scott Moore shows he is one step closer to launching the Games with a big TV deal.”
Prince Harry has named a television executive with 40 years of experience, Scott Moore (pictured), the new CEO of Invictus Games in 2025
The Duke of Sussex with Nick Booth when he ran the Royal Foundation with Harry and William, a former royal aide to him and his brother. Booth ran Invictus 2025 in Vancouver-Whistler for a few months after the last executive director abruptly left.
‘We have seen lately how Amazon, Netflix and now Disney have secured the rights to major television sporting events and know that there is money and also subscriptions at stake with the right sports.
“Now that the Invictus Games have expanded to also host a winter event, they are starting to follow both the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games and may become a major television event with people like Scott behind them.
‘Harry and Meghan have the star power to drive games and as we know, it’s Harry’s sweet spot and something he’s clearly passionate about.
“The documentary he made for Netflix was not the success expected, but it did what it needed to do: inform and educate people about games, their purpose and also their importance.”
But if Harry is pushing for a more global audience and broader coverage in North America, Netflix will be at the front of the queue and Disney is also expected to make a bid and the couple hopes the new CEO’s influence can help them next. after his documentary Invictus was released. considered a failure.
Moore’s appointment came after chief executive Peter Lawless and commercial director Bill Cooper abruptly left in the autumn.
Inside sources told MailOnline that the pair were sacked “for no reason” and warned that while Scott is a “star hire”, there are concerns about the management of the Games with just 12 months to go.