Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly planning to head back to Europe soon. Two years after they left the United Kingdom and the royal family behind, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be heading to the Netherlands, per PEOPLE. As for the reason behind their trip, the Netherlands will be the next host of the Invictus Games, the international sports competition for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women that Harry founded.ย
Harry and Markle will be on hand for the start of the Invictus Games, which will kick off on April 16 in The Hague. It’s unclear exactly how long the couple is expected to stay in the country (and in Europe). But, PEOPLE reported that they will be in The Netherlands for the “first several” days of the event, which will last from April 16 to April 22. Fans will remember that the Invictus Games in 2017 marked a significant turning point for Markle and Harry, as it was their first appearance in public together.ย
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The next Invictus Games have been quite a long time coming. They were originally set to take place in 2020. However, the COVID-19 put a damper on those plans, and they were subsequently rescheduled. They were later set to take place in 2021. Although, due to the difficult and ongoing nature of the pandemic, they decided to push the event to 2022 out of an abundance of caution. At the time, Harry released a statement about the news and said that the event was delayed in order to maintain everyone’s safety amid such a trying time.ย
“This decision was the most sensible and the safest option for all of you and all of your families, and everybody else involved in these games,” he said, per Harper’s Bazaar. “This decision was taken in consultation with the participating nations’ teams and in close coordination with local and national authorities to limit the impact of the pandemic on all parties involved in the delivery of, and particularly participation in, the Games.” Mart de Keuf, the chairman of the Invictus Games The Hague, also released a statement about the delay, explaining, in part, “It was of course a big disappointment that the Invictus Games could not take place, but also understandable in the current situation. All the hard work and efforts of the organization and our partners are very valuable and form a good basis for an even more beautiful event in 2022. As an organization we also want to show our own resilience and the Invictus Spirit.”
