Prince Harry admitted that attending the Invictus Games as a father for the first time this year “adds an emotional layer” to the event. Given that a career in the military involves dangers, a major sacrifice, and months away from loved ones, the Duke of Sussex expressed his “tremendous respect” for soldiers who continue to serve in the armed forces after having established a family with a partner and children.
He also disclosed that when in the Army, he vowed himself that he would not have children until he had left that career path.
“Being a dad certainly adds another emotional layer to it,” Harry told People magazine.
“When I was in the Army, I promised myself I would be out before having a wife and kids, because I couldn’t imagine the heartache of being apart for so long during deployment, the risk of possibly getting injured, and the reality that my family’s lives could be changed forever if that happened.
“Every member of the Invictus community has experienced varying degrees of these things.
“I have tremendous respect for what they and their families sacrifice in the name of service.”
This isn’t the first time Prince Harry has mentioned how difficult it must be for military people to be away from their families, particularly their children, while serving.
When the Sussexes were still working royals in November 2019, Harry and his wife Meghan Markle paid a visit to the Broom Farm Community Centre in Windsor to meet relatives of armed soldiers serving overseas.
During his visit, Prince Harry stated: “It’s unbelievably hard. I have so much respect and admiration for anyone who has to deal with that.”
The Duke, who was the sole father of Archie Harrison, who was born on May 6, 2019, at the time, expressed his displeasure at the idea of being separated from his son for several weeks.
He said: “I can’t imagine what it’s like to miss so much as they change so quickly”.
Harry served in the Army for ten years and was sent to Afghanistan twice.
In his final years in the military, he founded the Invictus Games, a multi-sports competition for wounded, disabled, and injured veterans and service personnel that strives to showcase the healing effects of sports and community on physical and mental ailments.
The Games have played a significant role in the Duke’s personal life, not only because they are one of his most successful ventures, but also because they were the first formal outing for him and Meghan five years ago.
While Harry and Meghan’s relationship was already well-known at the time, he was joined by the then-US actress for the first time at a public event during the 2017 Invictus Games, which were held in Toronto.
“The Toronto Games were our first time out and about publicly in an official capacity,” the Duke said of the experience.
“We were dating at the time, so it was a lot to take in, but fortunately, we were with the perfect community for that.
“Now, five years later, here we are in The Hague at the fifth Invictus Games, as parents of two, and living in the US.
“I had always wanted to share these incredible moments with someone special, and to have Meg by my side means everything.”
In June of last year, Meghan and Prince Harry welcomed their daughter Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana into the world.
The 10-month-old baby has yet to make an appearance in public.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex published a photo of their family in the run-up to Christmas, marking the first and thus far the only image of Lili they have shared.
Archie, on the other hand, has taken part in a public engagement during the Sussexes’ tour of southern Africa, during which the boy was introduced to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as he was born while his parents were still working royals.
Meghan and Harry have only revealed a few photographs of their boy since their decision to step down as full-time members of the Firm, including an artistic recreation of a family shot on Christmas 2020 and a photo of him from behind posted in May last year.
Image Credit: Getty
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