Joy for prince at US Invictus Games plan
PR INCE Harry has announced that the next Invictus Games for injured servicemen and women and veterans will be staged in America in May 2016.
The Games will be hosted by Orlando in Florida and Harry, who is the patron and the driving force behind the event, said he hoped the US would set the bar “even higher” than London, which staged the inaugural competition last September.
The Prince, who is in Africa working as a wildlife conservation volunteer over the summer, made the announcement in a video message recorded before he left the UK.
Speaking about the first Games, the Prince said: “The competitors showed grit, determination and humour: an absolute refusal to be beaten or be defined by their injuries – the Invictus spirit was born.”
He added: “For every competitor last September, there are hundreds of others around the world who would benefit from having the same opportunity. I had always hoped that last year’s games would be more than a one-off.
“For me, the 2014 Games were just the beginning of the Invictus story.
“I wanted other cities and countries to look at the competition, what it meant to those taking part and those who saw it, and take up the challenge for the next Invictus Games.
“So, today I am absolutely delighted to announce that the United States has taken up that challenge and will host the next Invictus Games in Orlando.”