Prince Harry Said Having Meghan Markle By His Side at the Invictus Games "Means Everything"

The Invictus Games are one of the projects closest to Prince Harry's heart.

The 2020 games (held in 2022 because of the pandemic) marked many personal milestones for him: his first as a U.S. resident, his first as a husband, and his first as a father of two (or a "proud papa," as he puts it).

His wife, Meghan Markle, accompanied him for the first few days of the event before flying back to be with their kids in California, and the Duke of Sussex told People how important it was for him that she be there—especially considering that the 2017 Toronto Games served as their first official outing as a couple.

"There is nowhere you can feel more embraced and supported than with the Invictus family," the duke said in a new interview. "The Toronto Games were our first time out and about publicly in an official way. We were dating at the time, so it was a lot to take in, but fortunately, we were with the perfect community for that.

"Now, five years later, here we are in The Hague at the fifth Invictus Games, as parents of two, and living in the U.S. I had always wanted to share these incredible moments with someone special, and to have Meg by my side means everything."

The Invictus Games see armed forces veterans and serving members who are injured or sick represent their respective countries in a series of athletic competitions. Prince Harry founded them in 2014, based on his own experience in the Army.

"Being a dad certainly adds another emotional layer to it," he told People. "When I was in the Army, I promised myself I would be out before having a wife and kids, because I couldn't imagine the heartache of being apart for so long during deployment, the risk of possibly getting injured, and the reality that my family's lives could be changed forever if that happened. Every member of the Invictus community has experienced varying degrees of these things. I have tremendous respect for what they and their families sacrifice in the name of service."

The Sussexes share son Archie, almost 3, and daughter Lilibet, 10 months.