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Prince Harry reunited with Princess Diana’s family to celebrate the Invictus Games. The royal family didn’t attend.
The royal family was noticeably absent from a ceremony celebrating the Invictus Games.
The Invictus Games, a worldwide sporting competition for injured veterans, marked 10 years since its creation on Wednesday.
Prince Harry serves as the founding patron of the organization, creating it after working directly with injured soldiers during his time in the military.
The organization has seen steady growth in recent years, increasing its annual income from about $1.2 million to $2.5 million from 2018 to 2022, according to the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, The Invictus Games Foundation hosted a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Prince Harry outside of St Paul’s Cathedral in May 2024.
Prince Harry outside of St Paul’s Cathedral in May 2024. Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Foundation)
Harry traveled to the UK to attend the ceremony and other events marking the anniversary.
The royal family skipped the ceremony
Harry was the only member of the monarchy to attend the Service of Thanksgiving, though royals have supported him at Invictus Games events in years past.
King Charles III, who returned to public duty at the end of April, was in London during the event, hosting an annual garden party at Buckingham Palace with Queen Camilla on Wednesday instead of attending the service.
Though his royal family wasn’t at the event, Harry reunited with Diana’s siblings, Earl Charles Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes, at the Service of Thanksgiving.
Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Charles Spencer at The Invictus Games Foundation Service of Thanksgiving in May 2024.
Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Charles Spencer at The Invictus Games Foundation Service of Thanksgiving in May 2024. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
The Daily Mail published video footage of Harry hugging his Spencer relatives inside the event.
Harry reportedly won’t see King Charles during his visit to the UK
Harry’s relationship with the royal family has been strained since he and Meghan Markle stepped back as senior royals in January 2020.
However, Harry has supported Charles over the past year, attending his coronation in May 2023 and visiting him amid his cancer diagnosis. He met with the king and Queen Camilla for about 45 minutes shortly after the monarch announced his diagnosis to the public, the BBC reported.