The Invictus Games
Harry's defining project — the international adaptive-sport championship for wounded, injured and sick service personnel, founded 2014 and still running.
The inspiration
In May 2013, Harry attended the US Warrior Games in Colorado Springs — the American adaptive-sport championship for wounded service members — and visited Arlington National Cemetery on the same trip. By his account, the experience convinced him that sport could be central to recovery, and that an international version of the concept was missing. He announced the Invictus Games in March 2014 at London’s Copper Box Arena.
The first Games: London 2014
The inaugural Invictus Games ran 10–14 September 2014 in London, with 413 competitors from 13 nations. At the closing ceremony Harry said: “These games have shone a spotlight on the ‘unconquerable’ character of servicemen and women and their families – their invictus spirit.” The name comes from William Ernest Henley’s 1875 poem Invictus (“I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul”), lines Harry has quoted in speeches.
Every edition
| Edition | Host city | Year |
|---|---|---|
| I | London | 2014 |
| II | Orlando | 2016 |
| III | Toronto | 2017 |
| IV | Sydney | 2018 |
| V | The Hague | 2020 (held 2022, delayed by the pandemic) |
| VI | Düsseldorf | 2023 |
| VII | Vancouver–Whistler | 2025 (first winter-sport edition) |
| VIII | Birmingham | 2027 (announced) |
The Foundation
The Invictus Games Foundation (UK-registered charity) owns the Games brand, selects host cities, and oversees delivery; Harry is its patron. The Foundation’s stated mission is to use sport to support the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans — and to generate wider understanding and respect for them. The Foundation publishes its own accounts and impact reports.
Ten years: the 2024 service
In May 2024, a service at St Paul’s Cathedral marked ten years of the Invictus Games, attended by Harry. The anniversary was widely reported as a milestone for the project; reporting also noted the absence of senior royal family members — a matter of public record, presented here without interpretation.
The ESPY award (July 2024)
Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPY Awards for his Invictus work. The award drew public debate — including criticism from some commentators and from Tillman’s mother — which is noted here as reported fact without taking a side. The Foundation’s record of delivery across seven editions is the documented substance.
Why it matters in his biography
Invictus is the through-line of Harry’s public life: it connects his Army service (the constituency), his 2013 Warrior Games visit (the inspiration), his charitable identity after 2015 (the platform), and his post-2020 public role (the patronage he retained). Of all his projects, it is the one with the most independently documented outcomes — host cities, competitor numbers, and a decade of delivery.
Source notes
- Founding narrative: Harry’s 2014 announcement and subsequent interviews (his account); the 2013 Warrior Games visit is documented in MOD/royal reporting.
- Editions and the Foundation: the Invictus Games Foundation’s published records. The 2014 closing speech: contemporary broadcast and press reporting.
- The 2024 service and ESPY award: BBC/Reuters/Guardian reporting; the debate is presented as reported, not adjudicated.