Be forewarned: if you’re feeling particularly emotional today, or if you’re like me and PMS-ing a little bit, this post is going to make you cry. The Invictus Games came to a glorious close last night and Prince Harry is getting a lot of credit for creating such a spectacular, moving and inspirational event. And Harry takes all of that praise and turns it back on the veterans, plus he had nothing but wonderful things to say about the Americans who organized the games in Orlando this year. At the closing ceremony, Harry made an emotional closing speech and I have no idea how he didn’t cry through the whole thing, because I did. He name-checks several multi-nation athletes and their inspirational stories.
The Kensington Royal Twitter posted photos of Harry with several of the athletes he name-checks – go here to see. And People Mag ran a transcript of this wonderful speech. So… yeah. Prince Harry is the best. He is engaged, cheerful, emotional and hard-working. I really hope that William and Kate are giving their strategy a good, hard review after this week’s events. To be fair, Kate seemed to understand that this wasn’t the week to try to pull attention, although that’s basically like giving her credit for not working. I also think that this is a good example of how Poor Jason Knauf is actually good at his job when he has an engaged royal figure to work with.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
OM. This man is just fabulous. What a great king he will make one day. Love him.
Could we make an exception so that Harry could run for President? He’d win by a landslide.
I’d vote for him! I’m not even kidding
This republican Brit seconds that.
I’d vote for the Queen, and I’d vote for him. The rest can pack up and go home (I have a soft spot for Princess Anne, but she’s not diplomatic enough.)
I can actually see Anne being a boss at PMQs.
Holy crap. This is our solution, Americans! Get a foreigner for president! I am so not being sarcastic, There are some things that are just better done by a non-American.
My primary revelation was last night meeting my son’s soccer (football) coach. I do not know his full ethnic history-yet! but am guessing he is not American born, of European descent. Austrian, perhaps? I immediately had faith in this man, and after just one practice, all of my prejudgments were confirmed.
Shame that King Harry can’t do POTUS for four or eight years. It would be great for everyone.
KHOTUS or PHOTUS. It has a ring to it. 😀
Yes! I’d vote for him.
What a wonderful, amazing speech. And Harry didn’t seem nervous at all, but in his element (he has said public speaking is hard for him.)
He has a real connection with people, compared with Wills in the Daily Mail today shaking hands from as far away as he possibly can and still be in the same room. It’s terrible that Will will be king. Really, a joke.
He’s an amazing public speaker. Seriously. He wasn’t even using a teleprompter, and he remembered all those numbers he rattles off, and all the names of the athletes. Even many professional public speakers who do it for a living use a teleprompter or note cards.
God save the ginger Prince! What a wonderful example of leadership, kindness, engagement. He is a hustler! You know granny Liz is super proud of how good of an ambassador he is for the Firm.
Harry is definitely the new standard bearer for the Firm. This is what makes the BRF relevant in 2016. Honks for Harry. He earned every single one.
Very impressive, Harry has worked hard and is passionate about it. Lovely to see. He will do even greater things in the future, I suspect.
Someday when he meets and marries the love of his life, there are going to be a lot of heartbroken young women – but also a lot of people cheering him on as we do now. Great job, Harry!
Queen Elizabeth II must be so proud of Harry as an ambassador to the world and showing his good and caring heart. However, I do wonder if QEII will give Harry a bit of a reprimand for digging into the Crown Jewels for that bracelet he is wearing. It looks like diamonds and sapphires. Maybe it was one of Diana’s personal pieces given to her by Charles to match her engagement ring?
He has worn that type of bracelet or two since school. Definitely not diamonds and sapphires. Speculation is that it’s bracelets he picks up when he visits Africa.
Great speech and great delivery, very relaxed, not stilted. I love Harry and what he did for these games and his passion for it.
On a shallow note, what a body he has. I love his shoulders and arms.
Oh, Harry. Oh my.
Oh, Harry.
Oh.
Oh my.
I’ll join you in the shallow end, Harry’s got a beautiful body.
He’s dripping with honking hotness and his personality is a large part of that too, but yeah, that body and style!
All of this is amazing. I just love how engaged he is with people.
I love his connection with people, too. He’s the true People’s Prince. Just look at him with the elderly lady, that genuine smile in the second photo, and kissing the sthlete’s head. He’s not afraid to muck in; he seems to thrive on it. N.B. Billy and Katie.
Yup, his kissing and hugging people, like his mum, melts me. Thank you Harry.
It’s just so amazing and becoming INCREASINGLY striking… the difference between Harry and William in photo ops.
I was ASTOUNDED when I clicked over to the Kensington Palace twitter… and there is Wills looking ever so awkward, disinterested and disengaged at recent events and Harry, looking oh so at ease and truly a part of the events he is attending.
Yes, Wills was making a second visit ever, I think, to one of “his” charities, and she is so awkward with the plebes – he shakes hands with people from across the room, as far away as he can get from them!!
Prince Harry is like his mother for sure, engaging, passionate about causes, warm. William is more like his father, reserved, but doesn’t have his father’s work ethic nor his passion for certain causes to make up for it.
Is he kissing that man’s head? Glorious!!
I put it on yesterday’s Harry post, but just in case any of you guys missed it, the second and last choir episode is up on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKje5CHKQhg.
i hope it’s going to be on iTunes, both the choir version and the Gareth solo version.
these people… i just… it’s amazing what a great thing they have done here, the way they just laid their soul bare, the songwriting process is one of the most poignant things i have ever seen on tv in a long time.
i was actually surprised that it led me to some deep contemplation about myself.
music is such a miracle maker.
Oh, I forgot! I was going to look up the download link for you!
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/flesh-blood-feat.-laura-wright/id1113091693?app=itunes&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Hopefully also on the US iTunes? I don’t use iTunes so not sure how to check, sorry.
Thank you so much for this link! I searched before bed last night, but no one had put it up yet. I’m 8 minutes in and reaching for my first tissue, so I suppose it will only get worse from here!
There’s a funny bit where the Americans are emoting all over the place and the Brits are going “BUT BUT BUT STIFF UPPER LIPS! HELP!”
you can see in their eyes that they didn’t know what to do… but they’re in good hands.
the whole Invictus week is probably a day of revelations and even therapy…
oh, the parts where they show their sparkling wit and dry humor!
and the dark gallows humor:
Gareth: “you’re good the first few notes and then you got tempted away by the tenors. stick to your guns.”
Paul: “eh. well the last time i stuck to my guns, i got blown up.”
Gareth’s come back was great though. “well that doesn’t generally happen in choirs!!!”
“fingers crossed.”
Dave’s comment before hearing the song: “I hope it’s (the song) emotional… i just don’t want it to sound naff.”
Lol. i learned a new word today!! naff! naff naff. what a nifty word. i’m going to use it often.
@Sixer, so sad to report back that its not available in my naff iTunes store. :'(
yet…. i live in hope.
when my son comes back from scouting camp monday i’ll ask him to do that thing on the computer 😀
I thought the appearance of the Americans and the confounded Brits was hilarious!
Naff is a good word! It can mean basic in American-speak. Or it can mean trashy. Or it can mean trite. Or it can mean unfashionable. Good all-round slang!
O m g Sixer: STIFF UPPER LIP AT ALL TIMES!!!!
Oh, thanks.
yay! thank you!
Thanks for the link!
Thank you Sixer. I’ll be watching it tonight or tomorrow! For those who’ve watched it, is it as good as the first episode?
Im not gonna play myself, im cramping so Im gonna go get a chocolate something and see ya’ll in another post LOLOL i don’t need Hot Ginge Emotional Teases this morning
smart move. I watched it and now sitting at my desk like an idiot with tears in my eyes. Shut the office door so no one can see me 😛
I tried the doggies and the pics someone link and NOPE NOPE NOPE he looks so Joyful ffs and that is not a word I use
And he memorized that whole thing… Kate’s probably in awe. “That’s so ‘interesting’ the way you spoke without notes.”
Also, I’m kind of upset with that crowd for not getting into the rhythm of cheering “invictus” when needed. Like, it wasn’t that hard to catch on.
William, and by extension Kate – THIS is how it’s done. With passion, hard work, conviction and compassion. GROW UP you two.
Spot on, Jaded. I came on to say exactly that. He’s fabulous.
i think it has rubbed off a bit. Kensington Palace just tweeted that William is out right now visiting a homeless shelter.
yesterday he was visiting a mental health charity highlighting men’s suicide.
so i hope this week is a push to the right direction. Harry’s resounding success must’ve been like a bullwhip to William’s ego.
by the way, Harry will be on his way back to London today, and will be be back at work attending an event with Granny on Sunday (with W&K too).
Yeah, if anything would give William a push, it’s not all the criticism. It’s the huge popularity of his brother and all that he does and the response to it. I agree with Vava, he will never have the charisma that Harry does, but at least he could be more effective in his job.
I think it’s just William being jealous of Harry’s attenion. He’ll be back to no work next week.
Even the Fug Girls site had pics of Will out and about. Although in one of their captions they claimed that the cause of male suicide was “near and dear to him” or something equally ridiculous, instead of some random thing he glommed onto within the last month.
Unfortunately, I just don’t think William and Kate have the personalities for this sort of thing. They are too closed in. They aren’t warm individuals like Harry is. He’s got charisma, they do not.
I think it’s also their lack of curiosity. If they weren’t required to do anything, as happened in the dating years, they would do nothing.
Coupled with an inability to be interested in people and situations they are sent to, and boredom very visibly sets in.
They need to develop better ‘concerned’ public faces, and stop mimicking Diana. Both of them.
It’s not even about the charisma. I’d applaud William on his new interests if he actually seemed interested and passionate about them. He doesn’t. And that’s not because of his personality, it’s because he’s not interested. And it’s very very obvious.
I think lack of curiosity hits the nail on the head.
If we are honest, the best Bill and Chutney can aspire too is Anne levels of commitment. Even much-maligned Camilla has more personality than these two combined, let alone Harry.
William looked animated and interested while visiting the Star Wars set. But when he’s having to deal with real issues and people he doesn’t. And they can tell. And it’s not a matter of social anxiety or shyness or being introverted, when you’re interested in something or someone that does come through. And with WK that doesn’t come through.
But they could still do some significant things. Anne isn’t a cuddly people’s person which overshadowed her work for years. But she just got it done year and that dedication to work eventually brought her the praise it deserves. William could go that route and leave the emotional IQ stuff to Harry. They could even be a very effective team. But william doesn’t have Anne’s sense of duty. That, not the people skills, is the big problem.
Agree about the charisma, vava, and that’s a great point about lack of curiosity, LAK. That’s really sad when I think of it.
Not everyone is gregarious and energetic like Harry. Not everyone, no matter how much coaching and practice they get, will ever be good at or enjoy public speaking. I’ve seen speeches that Will has made, and he really tried to be funny and make jokes, but they just fell flat. I mean, not everyone is an extrovert and loves making public appearances. I wish everyone would cut them some slack.
@ladysussex: But, to repeat, in the end, this isn’t about being an extrovert or good at speaking, or that sort of thing. Having a fear of public speaking, or being not that funny would be overlooked if W or K showed interest in something other than themselves.
I think most people can relate to not enjoying that sort of thing, and W didn’t have a choice in the matter. But neither did Harry, and Harry found something that he’s passionate about. William and Kate haven’t and appear to have no interest in doing so. So no, no slack from me. Not after all this time.
There are plenty of things about jobs I haven’t enjoyed doing through the years. As long as I accepted the paycheck, I did the work without complaining because that’s what adults do. W&K need to suck it up and get to work or walk away and leave the paychecks (royal perks) behind.
they had a doggy paddle race!
amaziiinggg!
i am sure the dogs love it. after 6 whole days of restraint every time they see a body of water, the service dogs are finally let into the pool.
i remember reading one servicemen said his dog, loyal and hardworking as he is, will always lose it near the water if he’s off leash. as though its more dugong than dog.
Harry and dogs gets me everytime.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3587231/Prince-charming-Harry-delights-95-year-old-fan-kissing-hand-final-day-Invictus-Games-Florida.html
I loved the service dog race too! They are so important to their servicepeople, and they deserve to participate in the games and be recognized for their contributions to their humans!
That race killed me. Especially the dog who could barely swim!
Harry stop! You’re ruining my staunch anti-monarchy stance! 😉
He truly embodies the spirit of his mother. What a fantastic human.
Prince Harry is a joy! William and Kate will never measure up because they just don’t have Harry’s soul, his heart. Sad to say that, but it’s evident at every turn.
That’s how it’s done, brother.
I’m tearing up just looking at the pictures.
Ok I love him.
Wow. That was amazing. What a great job he did. Harry is the best Royal aside from the Queen.
I think his mother would be so proud of him and what he has accomplished -long live the ginger prince!
I so agree.
I’m not usually one for going all “Diana this..Diana that” because I was never a huge fan of hers..
BUT!
She would have been hugely proud of her youngest, her Good King Henry.
I lost it when he started talking about the individual athletes. So inspiring, I’m already looking forward to the next games.
Kate and William really need to get their act together. I don’t think its enough to even increase their numbers anymore they need to be seen caring. Harry doesn’t do the numbers his dad and Auntie Ann do, but everyone can tell he’s genuine about what he says and does. A comment congratulating him on a DM article got over 11,000 likes. I’ve never seen those kinds numbers on a comment before, least of all a positive one about Harry.
I can’t even. How could he have memorised all of that?! With all those stats? And names?! Because he’s passionate about invictus and involved at every level and at the very heart of this movement. It’s been so inspiring to watch these people who formerly were so broken be so awesomely strong and brave and resilient in the face of huge challenge. And their steadfast families and friends and medical teams. I hope this has taught us that we can all be a bit Invictus in our lives. Thank you Harry and thank you to everyone who has made this extraordinary event possible (little cry!)
I’m sure he had a teleprompter. That’s not a slam against him, just necessary with all he had to say.
you can see the flatscreen teleprompters at minutes 1:25-1:28 in the video.
but i agree, teleprompters don’t take away from the fact that his delivery is aces. the passion behind his voice cannot be faked.
Yes, you can see a teleprompter in the video. But even still, he did a really great job.
Yes that’s pretty standard. But he obviously practiced a lot and just has some good communication skills. Plus in his military career he probably gave a lot of briefings which would help him with this sort of thing–knowing the basic info, while referring to prepared notes (PowerPoint then, TelePrompTer now) and an ease with public speaking.
I wondering if he could got through that speech without a teleprompter – thanks for clearing that up. Even so, it takes a talented public speaker to use the prompts in such a seamless natural way. He really is a natural and makes William and Kate look like amateurs. I wonder if they’re feeling the heat! On a side note, I was surprised by how much like James Corden he sounds. So much easier on the ear than Kate’s affected accent.
Best bday present ever!!! MOAR HARRY.
Happy birthday!!
He’s amazing. I didn’t expect to actually tear up, but man, I did.
Honk, honk, HONK!!!!
I teared up just reading the transcript. Can’t wait to watch the second episode of the Invictus Choir special.
This is such important work that he’s doing AND he clearly loves it. Surely there is something that Bill and Cath are passionate about besides themselves???
That is a fab speech- very ‘Independence Day’… 🙂
Incredible speech.
WIth all the talk of american women…Can Harry marry a woman who is say fom India etc ..is that even allowed?
Yes he can.
Until recently, the only forbidden women were catholic ones.
Oh ok LAK. Why not catholic ones?Or is it ok if that woman changes her religion? I thought Autumn was Catholic? (not sure)
Catholics who married BRF members had to change religion to CoE or if they did not, then the royal automatically lost their right to the throne.
Given this was law until March 2015, William whining about his fate could have been easily sorted by his marrying a catholic or asking Kate to convert to catholicism thus dropping him out of the line pronto. No headaches or extra paperwork for anyone.
This law goes back to Stuart era, and the act of Settlement 1701 which specifically disinherits all who marry catholics from the line of succession and from inheriting the crown.
Why Catholics? Long story, but the crux is that once England embraced the Protestant reformation during the Tudor era, it was forever in danger from *Rome and other catholic countries.
*The Pope could and always interfered in the govts and lives of all catholic countries, including calling for non catholic countries to be invaded and annexed, assasination of non catholics etc.
Wasn’t without teething problems because England continued to have afew catholic monarchs through to Stuart era.
At first Parliament tolerated the catholic monarchs as long as their priority was England, but as the Stuart Era progressed, it became clearer that the catholic Stuart kings wanted closer ties with the catholic neighbours which weren’t in the best interests of the protestant English. So, we chucked out the catholic monarchs and made it law that catholics were forever barred from the throne.
I’m simplifying of course, but that in a nutshell is why catholics were barred.
Really interesting – thanks for posting that!
Forgot to add that William himself could have converted to catholicism before change in the law and voila, no more heir to the throne to trouble him.
I can’t imagine William even showing half as much joy as Harry has the last few weeks as he’s just gone full-out to promote this event. Really, it’s sort of shocking considering what a hot mess he’s been over the years. Maybe he’s grown up or just finally found something he cares passionately about. But for whatever reason, good on him. He’s making a huge positive difference in a lot of people’s lives. Sort of reminds you of Diana when she was working on the land mine issue.
Yes, people have forgotten that Harry got up to some distasteful nonsense in his younger years. But even those of us who remember it mostly forgive him at this point, I think, because it’s become obvious that he has a warm heart and has discovered that he has a calling to use his public profile to help people. In other words, like you say, he grew up. Wills… not so much.
He hasn’t been a hot mess for years. People just refused to see that he grew up and kept bringing up the past as if it happened yesterday or last month.
Despite that Vegas slip up, he’d steadily slowed down over the years and buckled down to his apache training. He was exactly like this at the Olympics ans supported the royals and Britain very well. The Vegas incident that year was unfortunate and the first time in years that he’d been publicly humiliated, but most people in Britain were unconcerned and showed alot of very public support. Ditto the armed forces.
Harry publicly apologised for Vegas, vowed to do better and did. He went to Afghanistan, he worked with Help for Heroes while also working for Walking with the Wounded – remember the walks to the north pole in 2011 and south pole in 2013. Yet until the Invictus games people kept saying he was still the mess of his early 20s or that the media had suddenly decided to throw William under the bus in favour of Harry or that it was some strange fluke being perpetuated on the public when in truth the man grew up a long time ago and has been working steadily for his causes for years with the same dedication, commitment and warmth.
While we are hear, this work ethic, charm and dedication was on show as early as 2007 when he worked behind the scenes on the Diana concert.
Perhaps this Invictus has finally opened people’s eyes, but grown up Harry has been here for years. Let’s stop bringing up his greatest hits from the early 20s because he has moved away and has proven himself.
Amazing. Love him. he is such a real person. that speech gave me goosebumps.
Harry is a ROCK STAR.
Prince Harry is simply amazing! He could easily be a Motivational Speaker, he is warm, engaged, charismatic…. I cried listening to his speech, God bless him.
So amazing. No words.
Bravo to all of the courageous and inspirational participants! They’re all winners!
Prince Harry truly is the People’s Prince, just as his mother was the People’s Princess. He has a beautiful heart and immense love for others. I don’t even know him but I was proud of him and his dedication to spotlighting the brave men and women of these games.
I cannot wait for the next games!
Harry is so inspiring. The Invictus poem speaks:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
(William Earnest Henley 1849-1903)
Invictus was awesome and successful and inspiring.. Harry came, saw and conquered with his project and should be quite proud of himself and all the blood, sweat and tears he left here in Orlando.
I just hope CB continues with Harry stories and we can continue to HONK! I think he has such a bright future and can’t wait to continue to follow him and his adventures and life.
Between this and his Senebale charity he really is a perfect mix of his parents. Starting things from the ground up and building a signature foundation–or in this case 2– is very reminiscent of Charles and the Prince’s Trust. And obviously he’s inherited his mother’s charisma and ability to really interact with people of all walks.
FYI, you can watch all of the games – the ceremonies, the events, Prince Harry popping on screen every other minute – online with WatchESPN (website and app) for the next 30 days.
So if you missed anything you can watch it all, even the full matches.
After Harry’s speech I was inspired to watch the wheelchair race (somewhere in the 5 hours of track and field competition) where the Australian competitor let the younger, American competitor win. It’s even more inspirational than Harry described. The commentators had never seen anything like it and couldn’t understand at first how someone would give away their lead like that.
Disney is amazing for giving the games their ESPN platform for such wide exposure.
y’know after reading the Paris Hilton article next door…
there might even be a possibility of Harry hooking up with Paris, knowing that Sista Nicky is now a Rothschild…
surely they can cross paths one day?
(much more probable than him crossing path with me anyway).
so… anyone ready for HRH Princess Paris?
I remember when Harry was born [yes i’m that old lol] he’s had his moments of stupidity growing up ,who hasn’t .It has not been easy for him growing up in the spotlight but now
we can see how much of his mothers son he really is and what a kind and decent human being
he has become .Both his parents should be so proud of him …especially his mum.
honking for bonnie prince harry!
Remember Will and Kate skipped the Paralympics to go sun bathing in Paris, anyone. Why can’t Harry be King?.
That’s something completely glossed over by people saying William couldn’t or didn’t have this type of opportunity.
How could anyone say that William hasn’t had this sort of opportunity??
He has the platform and the influence; he just lacks the interest and passion.
I watched the video and just sat there and bawled. I loved that he didn’t just stand there and accept accolades but turned it back to the athletes. Awesome man!
Harry is so fab. The video and those daily mail pics were wonderful.
You’re right — I cried. You can tell he put his heart and soul into this cause, and I just love the way he engages and encourages everyone around him to do their all.
Love him.
Love him! He has so much charisma, so much heart. If he was my kid I would be beaming I’d be so proud. Hope his family realizes that he is the real jewel in the crown. Go Harry! (Wiping tears away…)
Brilliant job Harry! With the Invictus Games, he has built something that can really unite people around the globe and, hopefully, continue to grow. As many people have said, on this thread and others, he is a great combination of his parents: Charles’s industriousness and work ethic and his mother’s ability to connect with all types of people, especially those who need it the most. He has shown what a prince can accomplish in the modern world and is a wonderful ambassador for England and the BRF.
I totally agree. He has shown what a prince SHOULD be doing in the modern world. This is what they can do that ordinary wealthy people and celebrities cannot do. They can move outside and above politics, and inspire and motivate and get things done, and start a movement that has the potential to unite people and improve their lot and get them working together.
I’m so indifferent to the royals in general and Harry in particular, but I must say, if I am to be ok with monarchy, THIS is what I want to see: a dude who looks passionate, who finds something he believes in, who seems to have fun interacting with people, rather than looking like stifling yawns during a chore, etc. I mean, with the salary and perks like theirs, I don’t think that a good game face for a couple of hours a day, far from every day, is too much to ask.
Coming to this thread a bit late, but what really gets me watching Harry speak is that it’s easy to forget he’s a royal. He could be any public figure with a strong presence on stage. Watching WK in public appearances is like peering into a bygone era – which, admittedly, I find interesting, but there’s like a deliberate chasm between them and the public.
William and Kate have to create/preserve that distance between them and the public, because they know that they are just ordinary and don’t have any more talent for the important job he inherited than most of us, so they have to (try to) rely on the mystique. Harry doesn’t need to do that, because he has all the qualities he needs to make a difference; he is a prince with charisma and people skills and talent and passion for making the world a better place, and the ability to get the job done.
I find it so weird that WK are such throwbacks. Where did that come from? Charles, a man who spent alot of time with his Edwardian grannie and great grannie, is more modern than these two people.
It’s not just their attitude, it’s the way they relate to the world and how they expect to be treated. Their complete and self inflicted insularity where even Britain is a foreign country nevermind actual foreign countries. And then there is the imperialist view of Asia and Africa!!!!
Charles would never say ( out loud to the public), ‘ i am a Prince’ as the most defining thing about him. Nevermind that it is an artificial construct that could be taken away by the public at any moment should the public choose.
Kate (and Pippa) was raised in the best pre-feminist era way to be decorative and ornamental to secure advantageous marriages as if there were no other options. Sidenote: i wonder how that works out for James.
It is all very, very strange.