Meghan Markle Sends Prince Harry Special Message from Home as He Receives a Standing Ovation at Invictus Games

The Duchess of Sussex returned to the couple’s Montecito, Calif. home to care for their children Archie and Lilibet as her husband closed out the event

As the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 came to an end on Sunday, Feb. 16, at the closing ceremony, the Duchess of Sussex shared her love from back home in California.

On Feb. 13, the Duke of Sussex, 40, attended the wheelchair rugby finals of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 and gave a competitor a sweet kiss on the cheek after the gold medal game between France and the U.K.

As seen in courtside footage shared on Instagram by Hello! magazine, Prince Harry had one arm around Amanda Pye of Team U.K. and another around an athlete from the French team when he spontaneously gave Pye a peck on the cheek as they laughed and chatted. The Duke of Sussex, a former captain in the British Army and the founding patron of the Invictus Games, then turned to banter with the French competitor.

Team France won gold in the wheelchair rugby final at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Thursday night with a 19-14 score, and the U.K. crew took silver. Prince Harry had lots of animated reactions from his spot in the stands, as he was seen cheering, throwing a thumbs up and talking to the people around him.

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Prince Harry Congratulates Invictus Games Athlete with a Sweet Kiss on the Cheek
The Duke of Sussex took in the gold medal wheelchair rugby match in Canada

By Janine Henni Published on February 14, 2025 10:34AM EST
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The Duke of Sussex after the wheelchair rugby final at the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. Picture date: Thursday February 13, 2025.
Prince Harry after the wheelchair rugby final at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 in Vancouver, Canada on Feb. 13, 2025. PHOTO: AARON CHOWN/PA IMAGES VIA GETTY
Prince Harry is feeling the love at the Invictus Games.

On Feb. 13, the Duke of Sussex, 40, attended the wheelchair rugby finals of the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 and gave a competitor a sweet kiss on the cheek after the gold medal game between France and the U.K.

As seen in courtside footage shared on Instagram by Hello! magazine, Prince Harry had one arm around Amanda Pye of Team U.K. and another around an athlete from the French team when he spontaneously gave Pye a peck on the cheek as they laughed and chatted. The Duke of Sussex, a former captain in the British Army and the founding patron of the Invictus Games, then turned to banter with the French competitor.

Team France won gold in the wheelchair rugby final at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Thursday night with a 19-14 score, and the U.K. crew took silver. Prince Harry had lots of animated reactions from his spot in the stands, as he was seen cheering, throwing a thumbs up and talking to the people around him.

The Duke of Sussex attending the wheelchair basketball final at the Vancouver Convention Centre during the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. Picture date: Thursday February 13, 2025.
Prince Harry at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 on Feb. 13, 2025. AARON CHOWN/PA IMAGES VIA GETTY
Prince Harry Reveals His Candid ‘Wish’ for Invictus Games at 10 Years (Exclusive)

Prince Harry was also seen sipping a beer during the wheelchair basketball bronze medal final that evening between the U.S. and Australia. There, the Duke of Sussex clinked his drink with Richie McCaw, a retired All Blacks Rugby player from New Zealand who many consider to be the greatest rugby player of all time. Earlier at the Invictus Games on Thursday, McCaw hosted a “Power of Sport Conversation” about his rugby career and the power of sport as a means for healing in a panel backed by ISPS Handa, a key supporter of Prince Harry’s charitable Sentebale polo matches.

Exclusively speaking to PEOPLE at the Invictus Games on Feb. 9, Prince Harry shared his excitement for everything ahead at the adaptive sports tournament for veterans that he founded in 2014.

“It’s incredible to be back in Canada. Canada couldn’t be more appropriate to host the first Winter Games. Everyone is so excited,” the Duke of Sussex says.

I’ve already had lots of people come up to me and ask whether there’s going to be a continuous cycle of Winter Games, and the answer to that is, we’ll have to wait and see! But everyone is very happy to be here,” he says.

The Invictus Games Vancouver-Whistler kicked off on Feb. 8 and run through Feb. 16, welcoming over 500 athletes from 23 nations to go for the gold. The current edition of Invictus is the Games’ seventh cycle, where the winter sports of alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, biathlon, skeleton and wheelchair curling have been added to the roster (in addition to Invictus’ core sports) for the first time.
The Vancouver Whistler Games also take the tournament back to a former host country for the first time following the 2017 Toronto Games, where Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle made their first public appearance as a couple during their courtship.

husband’s side as the Vancouver Whistler Games began, and Prince Harry tells PEOPLE it was “amazing” to experience Invictus with her.

“To have my wife here supporting me is amazing. I love that she’s by my side,” Prince Harry tells PEOPLE. “It’s such an important piece to this whole adventure.”