It’s the big day of the Invictus Games. The event, created by Prince Harry, celebrates its tenth anniversary with a religious service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The Mass was attended by 1,000 people, including representatives from all participating nations, actor Damian Lewis, and, of course, the host.
Prince Harry at St. Paul’s Cathedral
Prince Harry, who arrived in London on Tuesday, attended the service alone, without any members of the British Royal Family, with whom relations have been strained since he stepped back from his royal duties in 2020.
Accompanying Prince Harry at the cathedral were his maternal family members: Charles Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Lady Jane Fellowes.
He warmly greeted Princess Diana’s siblings with hugs upon seeing them inside the cathedral.
Also by his side were his lawyer David Sherbourne, who represented him in his battle against British tabloids; former equerry to Prince Charles and mentor to his children, Mark Dyer, whom Harry considers a second father and chose as godfather to Archie Harrison; and Harry’s former private secretary, Ed Lane Fox.
The Windsors Gathered at Buckingham
Almost simultaneously, the Windsors gathered at Buckingham Palace (about 4.5 kilometers from St. Paul’s) for the first garden party of the season.
King Charles and Camilla opened the palace doors, the official residence of the British monarchy since 1837, to continue this tradition beloved by Queen Elizabeth II and dating back to Queen Victoria’s time.
The monarch and his wife were accompanied by other family members, including the Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne, and the Duke of Gloucester.
Prince William, who attended an event in Windsor this morning, did not participate in the gathering.
Prince Harry’s Visit to His Father
Prince Harry’s visit to his father in February, upon learning of his cancer diagnosis, was seen as a step towards reconciliation.
However, the fifth in line to the throne has not met with Prince Charles in the more than 24 hours he’s been in London, and it’s not expected to happen before he leaves.
“Unfortunately, it won’t be possible due to His Majesty’s tight schedule. The Duke, of course, understands his father’s commitments and other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” confirmed sources close to Prince Harry.
There are no plans for him to meet with the Prince of Wales either.
Harry’s Agenda in London
St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in the City of London, holds personal significance for Prince Harry as it’s where his parents married on July 29, 1981.
Now, the Prince has returned to celebrate the ten years of his most personal project, Invictus, which he launched in 2014 after serving in the Armed Forces, an experience that profoundly impacted his life.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, Harry kicked off his agenda in the city of his birth with a visit to the Honourable Artillery Company headquarters, where a conference on the Invictus Games was held, hosted by Louise Minchin and attended by Sir Keith Mills and Ken Fisher.