Harry and Meghan have arrived in the Netherlands for the Invictus Games

Prince Harry and Meghan have arrived in the country, for the Invictus Games, after a detour made by Great Britain, to visit the Queen.

Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan appeared in The Hague on Friday, on the eve of the opening of the Invictus Games designed for wounded soldiers and being held at this fifth edition in the Netherlands.

British newspapers last month accused Prince Harry of “contempt of the Queen” by his decision not to travel to the UK for a religious ceremony in honor of his grandfather, Prince Philip, Elizabeth II’s husband who died last April.

However, the couple did visit the prince’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, who is set to celebrate her 96th birthday in a few days.

Harry and Meghan will attend a reception on Friday evening hosted by the city of The Hague, where the games are being held, and the Dutch Ministry of Defense.

They will attend the opening ceremony on Saturday where they will give a speech.

delayed twice

Created by Harry, who served in the British Army in Afghanistan, the Invictus Games is an international sporting event like the Paralympic Games for wounded and disabled soldiers and veterans. The event, which has been postponed twice due to the pandemic, concludes on April 22nd.

The Invictus Games, first held in September 2014 in London, are a recurring theme in Harry and Meghan’s relationship.

During the 2017 edition in Toronto, Prince made his debut with the former American actress. The following year, they were in Sydney, a few days after announcing her pregnancy.

Harry and his wife Meghan decided in 2019 to step back from the British royal family and now live in California.

deprived of police protection

The royal family’s withdrawal mechanically deprived the couple of the police protection they had until then been granted in the UK, at the taxpayer’s expense.

Harry offered to pay the costs and is now challenging the Home Office refusal in court.

After the decision, the UK government withdrew taxpayer-funded protection on return to Britain, a decision that Harry is challenging in court.