Meghan Markle Shares She Hopes Her Children Will Take Part in this Royal Family-Loved Hobby

Today was the final day of the Invictus Games 2023, held in Dusseldorf, Germany; the Games kicked off a week ago, and since then we’ve heard about endless inspirational stories from competitors, seen a masterclass in fashion from one Meghan Markle, celebrated Prince Harry’s thirty-ninth birthday, and watched a lot of athletic competitions. We’ve also learned a couple of interesting anecdotes from the mouths of Harry and Meghan themselves, including a hobby that Meghan hopes her two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will take part in (and it’s also one beloved by members of the royal family).

In a conversation with Bridget Bridge, the wife of an Invictus Games 2025 board member, Meghan said she really wanted Archie and Lili to learn this skill: “Meghan said that she really wanted her children to learn to ski, and that maybe Whistler was the ideal place,” Bridget told The Mirror. (The 2025 Games will be held in Whistler and Vancouver, Canada.) “She said she didn’t ski, so we told her they must come and learn.”

Bridge’s husband Keith chatted with Harry, who talked about a much different subject—Harry’s favorite sandwich. (There is a Canada tie in, though.) “We are from Victoria in British Columbia,” Keith said. “Harry was telling us about the best sandwich he’d ever had, which was in Deep Cove. He said when you cut it in half, it looked like a piece of art. He said they were looking forward to going back and that it was a very special place for them.” 

Harry and Meghan do have a deep history in Canada. Meghan filmed her hit show, Suits, in Toronto, and it’s where she was living when she met Harry in 2016, so the couple spent ample time there in the early days of their relationship. In fact, it was in Toronto and at the 2017 Invictus Games when they made their public debut as a couple; in late 2019 and early 2020, the now family of three (Archie was born in May 2019) retreated to Canada before eventually settling in the U.S. in the early part of 2020.

Though the 2023 Games were still ongoing (albeit coming to a close), the 2025 Games were on the minds of many. As The Mirror reports, “Harry seemed quite chipper about the location, elaborating to officials that both he and Meghan loved Vancouver Island during a visit in 2019.”

“He spoke about how peaceful and healing Canada is, and a little less hot than it has been here this week,” said Paul Ledwell, deputy minister of veteran’s affairs in Canada. “The 2025 Games will be the first time they come back to our country. They were speaking about how much they love Canada and said they couldn’t wait to come back. We will welcome them—they will be coming home.”

At tonight’s closing ceremony, Meghan didn’t speak (but did proudly look on, wearing a stunning dress from Cult Gaia), and Harry said “We’ve all witnessed the true impact sport has had on your recovery,” he said, per The Mirror. “But you will never truly know the impact your actions this week have had on millions of people around the world. You have opened people’s hearts through your vulnerability, through your resilience, and your sheer abilities. You have shown us that joy can emerge from struggle.” Harry appeared to nearly become emotional as he delivered his remarks.

Perhaps alluding to his own feelings about not being allowed to wear his uniform after stepping back as a working member of the royal family in 2020, Harry said, per The Sun, “For many of you, the uniform you’ve been wearing this past week will give you a new story to tell. And for others, it may give your old uniform new meaning. But I’m here to remind you that, after all of this, you don’t need to rely on a uniform, nor should you feel lost without one. Because everything you need is already within you.” After being denied requests to don his uniform—Harry is a veteran and served 10 years in the Army, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan—he was finally permitted to wear his uniform and medals for a vigil honoring the late Queen Elizabeth before her funeral last September.

Rita Ora and Eurovision star Sam Ryder performed at the closing ceremony; in addition to Harry, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also spoke.

Of the Games, Harry said to Invictus Games competitors “We may have provided the platform, but you provided the magic. And don’t you ever forget that.”