Harry co-hosting military event alongside US First Lady Jill Biden
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The Duke of Sussex is taking part in a military event alongside US First Lady Jill Biden.
Harry, who spent 10 years in the Army, is co-hosting the virtual event honouring those taking part in the Warrior Games, which celebrates injured active duty and veteran US military service members.
He is appearing alongside Dr Biden, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Ken Fisher, CEO of Fisher House Foundation.
Harry is attending “in support of these athletes and their families”.
The duke was expected to attend in person as the 2021 Warrior Games was slated to take this week in Orlando, Florida, but it was cancelled due to coronavirus-related concerns.
The duke, who founded the Invictus Games Foundation, which helps soldiers through their recovery via international sports competitions, served two frontline tours to Afghanistan.
A White House statement said the Warrior Games shares a “deep bond” with the Invictus Games.
Harry was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery.
It celebrates the “resiliency and dedication of wounded, ill, and injured active duty and veteran US military service members”.
The US Department Of Defence said on Twitter: “This evening, @SecDef along with @FLOTUS ; Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex; and Ken Fisher, Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation will host a virtual event to honour Warrior Games athletes, their families, and caregivers.”
Speaking at the start of the event, Dr Biden said: “Twenty years ago our world broke apart and the shockwaves of 9/11 continue today, but as the President and I visited the September 11 memorials this weekend I was reminded of the humanity that shined through the inhumanity of that day.
“There was a call to defend the values we hold dear as we waged a global war on terror and a courageous group of men and women stepped forward to say ‘me, I will go’.
“And that includes you, Harry, you live by a simple principle, serve together, recover together.”
The event is being livestreamed on YouTube.
