Prince Harry not too long ago recreated a memorable second of royal historical past, following within the footsteps of his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, by taking part in a ceremonial puck drop at a Vancouver Canucks hockey sport in opposition to the San Jose Sharks.
This occasion echoed the same event from 21 years in the past when the Queen herself made a ceremonial puck drop at a sport between the identical groups throughout her 11-day tour of Canada to have fun her Golden Jubilee in October 2002.
The 2002 occasion, which noticed hockey legend Wayne Gretzky presenting the Queen with the puck, was a notable second, with the gang cheering as she carried out the ceremonial drop after which watched the primary interval from the royal field.
The Duke of Sussex’s participation within the current sport carries ahead this distinctive royal reference to the game of hockey.
© Derek CainPrince Harry’s go to to Canada, alongside his spouse Meghan Markle, is especially vital because it facilities across the upcoming Invictus Video games, scheduled to be held in Vancouver and Whistler in 2025.
Because the founding father of the Invictus Video games, a world adaptive sports activities match for wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans, Prince Harry has been deeply concerned since its inception in 2014.
The Video games have been hosted in varied cities worldwide, together with London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, the Netherlands, and Germany, with the 2025 occasion marking the primary return to a earlier host nation.
In an announcement, Prince Harry expressed his pleasure about bringing the first-ever Winter Hybrid Video games to Canada in 2025.
© Jeff VinnickHe highlighted the importance of the Video games in increasing the vary and profile of winter adaptive sports activities and emphasised the partnership with the First Nations within the spirit of fact and reconciliation with indigenous communities.
Canada holds a particular place for Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, not solely due to its proximity to their present dwelling in Montecito, California, but additionally resulting from its private significance.
© Jeff VinnickThe couple, often called the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made their first public look on the 2017 Invictus Video games in Toronto, the place Meghan lived whereas filming the TV sequence “Fits.”
Moreover, Vancouver holds fond reminiscences for the household, as they spent their first vacation season as a household of three in 2019 with their son, Archie, on Vancouver Island, shortly earlier than stepping again from their royal roles in 2020.
Take a look at our Proper Royal Podcast. On this week’s episode, we meet up with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and their new life:
