The Duke of Sussex and The Invictus Games: 2014 and 2016-2018, 2020


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Countessmeout said:
:previous: When you are talking about the Invictus Games/foundation, Harry is the founder, or at least brought the concept forward in London to create it. True he didn't invent the idea, he was inspired by the Warrior Games in the US which he attended, but it isn't stretching to say he founded Invictus.



https://invictusgamesfoundation.org/foundation/story
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Right but what gets lost in the Prince Harry/Invictus 'mythology' is that it was the government that first announced support for bringing a Warrior style games to London. A feasibility study on bringing the Games to London was commissioned by the Ministry of Defence with input from the Royal Foundation.

At the time, David Cameron's official spokesman told a Westminster media briefing: "I think the Prime Minister has already, last year when announcements were made with regard to seeking to set up the Warrior Games, expressed his clear and strong support for that, strongly welcoming the involvement of Prince Harry.

"The Government's support for this initiative is already well-known."

Clearly Harry is the face of the games and has put his own stamp on it, but as you say, he didn't reinvent the wheel. The template already existed
 
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I don't care who or what happened first, Harry is who we think of when the games are mention. He is doing a really great job and it's annoying the hell out of some people. Go Harry
 
royal rob said:
I don't care who or what happened first, Harry is who we think of when the games are mention. He is doing a really great job and it's annoying the hell out of some people. Go Harry
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Don't be bothered by that. It doesn't change anthing in the end:flowers::p:cool:
 
touring the venues in Orlando for the Invictus Games
Prince Harry tours the Invictus Games venue in Orlando two days before the veterans' sporting event | Daily Mail Online

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChyHlODUkAAGGt2.jpg
http://67.media.tumblr.com/2af56daebbe14e6733d83238859596c5/tumblr_o6rj7yDqNf1rt5m6bo1_500.jpg

"Inspiring to hear Prince Harry's insight & passion for his creation #invictusgames today and share our plan for ESPN coverage. Interview to air via abc news. Opening Ceremony Sunday 8ET E2"
https://www.instagram.com/p/BFFCrP2isCv/

meeting the families today
https://twitter.com/GKTWVillage/status/728673680910385152
http://66.media.tumblr.com/27755c995cb4f41ab49d9642794c6888/tumblr_o6rsfgZJSl1swd44ko1_1280.jpg
w/ Dutch swimmers
https://twitter.com/LouisaJamesITV/status/728602329151328256
http://66.media.tumblr.com/d1cf83f59338f4852bff5d682852e186/tumblr_o6rwiiyuc01swd44ko3_1280.jpg
and other athletes
http://67.media.tumblr.com/96754f817c758d6ff9a5e8cfb34f6320/tumblr_o6rwiiyuc01swd44ko1_1280.jpg

The Haka comes to Invictus Games! Wheelchair Rugby prelims underway in style
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChzWHh9WEAEgGe5.jpg

@JennaBushHager sat down with Prince Harry today. The full interview airs Monday on @TODAYshow.
https://twitter.com/NBCNewsPR/status/728671329508012033
 
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Harry's having a roam around chatting to athletes of all nations, and giving inevitable interviews. I'll bet he's in his element there, as well as it being an opportunity to avoid some vile weather in the UK, even if there has been torrential rain in Florida lately!
 
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Rudolph said:
Right but what gets lost in the Prince Harry/Invictus 'mythology' is that it was the government that first announced support for bringing a Warrior style games to London. A feasibility study on bringing the Games to London was commissioned by the Ministry of Defence with input from the Royal Foundation.

At the time, David Cameron's official spokesman told a Westminster media briefing: "I think the Prime Minister has already, last year when announcements were made with regard to seeking to set up the Warrior Games, expressed his clear and strong support for that, strongly welcoming the involvement of Prince Harry.

"The Government's support for this initiative is already well-known."

Clearly Harry is the face of the games and has put his own stamp on it, but as you say, he didn't reinvent the wheel. The template already existed
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This is good information to know. I wouldn't really think that a royal would wholly construct an organization like this on their own, but I think for publicity's sake it is better to promote it with Harry's name. I don't think many people are interested in the process just the result.
 
HistoryGirl said:
This is good information to know. I wouldn't really think that a royal would wholly construct an organization like this on their own, but I think for publicity's sake it is better to promote it with Harry's name. I don't think many people are interested in the process just the result.
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I agree. Harry has done a great job. He's a great spokesperson.

When Harry left the Army air corps for a 'desk job' in London, the statement said

"If the Warrior Games does come to London that would be a special project that would involve the Army, so the Prince would be involved in that. But his responsibility would be in line with his rank as a captain, so he would not be in charge of the whole thing."

When asked if the Harry would have taken on his new job without the prospect of helping organise the Warrior Games, a royal aide said: "Who knows?"

So Harry's role expanded over time but in the early days he was to play just a minor part.
 
^Sounds about right. In the end, all that matters is the wounded veterans and providing them with a platform to remind everyone of their sacrifices and honoring their strength.
 
Harry himself has said in interviews how he went to the US and saw the Warrior Games and thought it was a great idea. He has said of Invictus, "I pinched the idea from the Yanks".

You yourself wrote, Rudolph, that the MOD feasibility survey had 'the backing of the Royal Foundation'. Funny how the Royal Foundation of the Cambridges and Prince Harry would have got involved with a project in which Harry had had no input in up to that time.

As for Harry being unable to organise a charity by himself, what about Sentebale which he and his fellow Prince set up when he was 19? That was his idea also.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invictus_Games

This makes it clear that it was Harry's inspiration. It says under the paragraphs 'Launching' that Harry saw the US Warrior Games and brought the idea back, putting it into motion 'with the backing of the Ministry of Defence.. Boris Johnson, the City of London' and others.
 
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It was the PM's spokesperson that said they welcomed the involvement of Harry, not Harry welcoming the involvement of the government. Harry was still flying helicopters when the Warrior Games were being kicked around

Harry has done a great job with Invictus, that doesn't mean he can leap tall buildings in a single bound though
 
From Penny Junor's book 'Prince Harry, Brother, Soldier, Son' (and she's no fan of Harry)
She interviewed Sir David Manning. He stated 'It was all a bit of a shock to the system' of Prince Harry's announcement at the US Warrior Games with the implication that they would be coming to London. 'But I can't say I was surprised. He was very fired up; his enthusiasm was enormous.'

'The Warrior Games suddenly became this enormous opportunity and challenge' says Nick Booth "We returned from the US trip to a flurry of phone calls from government and other people saying 'Er, what did his Royal Highness say?"

'So we went quiet for a while and over the summer did a feasibility assessment which I co-chaired with the MOD on Prince Harry's behalf, to say 'Was it possible; if so which countries, how big, how small? '

Juror's next paragraph in this chapter 'A Flurry of Phone Calls' states 'As soon as the government gave the Games the final go ahead in January 2014.... Then Harry left for his desk job and devoted himself to the Invictus Games coming into being.

From the above it's clear that the idea, the inspiration for the Invictictus Games came from Harry and his visit earlier to the US Warrior Games. THEN the UK government got involved. After he'd suggested it.

Therefore Harry isn't just the face of these Games or their spokesman, but it was his idea and inspiration that brought them into being.
 
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I'm just quoting what government officials and the press stated at the time. The PM's office said publicly it welcomed Harry's involvement and that his role would be in keeping with his rank in the Army. He wouldn't be in charge of the entire thing.

What Harry's people or Penny Junor have to say is there thing. I don't have an issue either way
 
No, I'm sure you don't, Rudolph.

However, these are people involved in the Royal Foundation and the setting up of the Games in 2014, and an international warrior games was clearly Harry's idea.
 
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I'm not disputing anything in the book but It was written after the fact. I'm just saying that what was said by the government at the time doesn't completely square with the book.

But since the games are about the veterans and not Harry, it shouldn't really matter
 
Harry visited the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs in May 2013, and had met some US wounded warrior team members the year before in 2012, who had competed in the Warrior Games, when they were doing rehab. This was months before the British Government made any announcement.

And I ask again, if Harry had no prior connection with the planning of this or its inception, why was the Royal Foundation involved in a feasibility study about the warrior games, something you yourself wrote in a previous post?

If it's all so mistaken, I tell you what, I'm prepared to write to the Royal Foundation myself and ask them if Nick Booth (their employee) went with Harry to the Colorado Springs warrior games in the Spring of 2013 and then sat on a feasibility study with the MOD after Harry had floated the idea. Truth will Out.

I don't believe in minimising the role that Harry played in getting these Games to fruition or in getting Sentebale started, on its feet and prospering and expanding either.
 
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It seems from this Telegraph article, that it was a joint effort. Both the government and Harry were interested in bringing the games to the UK, so they teamed up and were able to make it happen.

That fact in no way dimisnishes Prince Harry's role. His commitment and dedication to the games is wonderful and should definitely be applauded.
 
ESPN 3 is a streaming service so if you are trying to find on your tv. It isn't there.


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Even this statement from David Manning
Then Harry left for his desk job and devoted himself to the Invictus Games coming into being.
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When Harry's desk job was announced it was to organise ceremonial events in London. It was stated if the Warrior Games come to London, Harry may be involved but only to a certain point.

The narrative that Harry was assigned to London to organise the Invictus Games came after the fact.

Doesn't change the great job Harry did but the story evolved over time
 
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Skippyboo said:
ESPN 3 is a streaming service so if you are trying to find on your tv. It isn't there.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community
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Yeah, I just noticed. ESPN 2 will have the prime time shows. Have to download the app. I'm wondering if any of Harry's family will show up.
 
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Dman said:
Are you guys ready for the 2016 INVICTUS GAMES? I have my DVR set just in case I miss something-
ESPN Broadcast Schedule - Invictus Games 2016 - Orlando - May 8 - 12 - ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
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Yep, I'm really looking forward to the games.

ESPN 2 will be broadcasting the opening ceremony, so I'm hoping this means they'll show some of the games too.

It's possible that someone in the family will attend, but I'm not sure. Most of them seem to have engagements next week. I could see Beatrice going since she's working in NY and that's only about a 2.5 hour flight to Orlando.
 
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Rudolph said:
Even this statement from David Manning When Harry's desk job was announced it was to organise ceremonial events in London. It was stated if the Warrior Games come to London, Harry may be involved but only to a certain point.

The narrative that Harry was assigned to London to organise the Invictus Games came after the fact.

Doesn't change the great job Harry did but the story evolved over time
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Where in my post does it say that Manning said that Harry devoted himself to the Games? I was quoting Junor's next paragraph where she wrote that the Govenment gave the OK in January 2015. I never mentioned Manning in that paragraph.

I just dislike the fact that you appear to diminish Harry's role in getting the WArrior Games to Britain....such as your remark in your previous post about Harry 'flying his helicopter ' when the Warrior Games were 'being kicked around' as if he knew nothing about it.

Harry went to the Colorado Springs Games in March 2013, saw what they did and having also met American team warriors the year before in 2012 too, he came back to England with the idea for a British Warrior Games with an international component. Simple. It was Harry's idea.

Cameron's media conference reported in the Telegraph was in January 2014, months later and following the MOD-Nick Booth meetings of the summer of 2013, after Harry and Booth returned from Colorado Springs.

As you seem to disbelieve this scenario, Rudolph, I intend to write to Nick Booth at the Royal Foundation and get the timeline and whose idea the Invictus Games was, if possible.
 
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^Agreed. Fantastic job and I tend to like it when a royal or celebrity chooses a particular cause to support as opposed to like fifty different ones. I don't doubt Harry saw the games and thought it a great idea, I just don't believe he single-handedly created and supervised every aspect of its creation. Not that it matters because this event, like all charity events, are not about giving credit to the creator but about bringing attention to those in need. I don't think Harry particularly cares whether he's given the credit precisely because he knows he did not do this by himself or for himself.

soapstar said:
It seems from this Telegraph article, that it was a joint effort. Both the government and Harry were interested in bringing the games to the UK, so they teamed up and were able to make it happen.

That fact in no way dimisnishes Prince Harry's role. His commitment and dedication to the games is wonderful and should definitely be applauded.
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Exactly. As with all big events like this, teamwork is necessary. Even if Harry was the first to think up the idea he didn't do it himself and the government wouldn't have gotten as much publicly without Harry. Sounds like a win-win scenario to me.

I was watching the NBA playoffs on ESPN and I saw the commercial and it reminded me it was going on. I'm really excited to watch and I'm sure it'll be a great success.
 
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What about the story, Harry actually telling himself every time being asked, HE came up with the idea of Invictus when flying back home from Afghanistan with a danish soldier´s body on board?!
I also think remembering William referring to Harry as founder of Invictus in an interview and how much he admired him for that...!
 
wartenberg7 said:
What about the story, Harry actually telling himself every time being asked, HE came up with the idea of Invictus when flying back home from Afghanistan with a danish soldier´s body on board?!
I also think remembering William referring to Harry as founder of Invictus in an interview and how much he admired him for that...!
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IIRC, the plane ride home with the wounded soldiers and a casualty was the inspiration for Harry to find out what these wounded soldiers lives were like when they returned home, what their issues and challenges were and he sought to put his time and effort into doing what he could to bring attention to their needs. It wasn't actually the Invictus Games but many of the other programs too such as Walking with the Wounded.

Like a beautifully bloomed plant, the Invictus Games depended on a lot of different things to bring it to the successful event is is. The seed was the Warrior Games in the US which Harry attended and with the backing of the government, the MOD and the Royal Foundation, it nurtured that seed to what we see today as the Invictus Games.
 
Quite a few interviews given this week and some interesting comments on his life, future career and difficulties maintaining a romance in his position.
 
Just saw a promo for Good Morning America for Monday- Harry, Mrs Obama and Robin Roberts


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