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Meghan and Harry join green and gold army at Invictus Games

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Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, joined the green and gold army at the Invictus Games on Wednesday as Australia took on Ukraine in wheelchair basketball.

It was the first appearance at the Dusseldorf Games for Meghan, who arrived in Germany on Tuesday afternoon.

Harry and Meghan with Australia’s Invictus Games wheelchair basketball team.Credit: Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

The couple were seated alongside members of the Australian and Ukrainian teams, and a few rows in front of athletes and officials from Nigeria, who Meghan greeted by punching both fists in the air.

Harry revealed at the opening ceremony that his wife had recently been exploring her Nigerian heritage and that she would be supporting the team at the Games. They are the first African team to compete at the Invictus Games and have already won gold in the power lifting.

Both enthusiastically joined in as the crowd was urged to stand and wave their arms to the music, before taking their seats and chatting to members of the Australian team.

Meghan sat next to Laura Reynell, an Australian competitor who has already won a medal and is a member of the power lifting, archery and rowing teams.

Prince Harry and Meghan chat to members of the Australian contingent.Credit: Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Reynell said. “I just walked into the stadium to watch some basketball and they were like, ‘sit here’, so I said OK.

“We were chatting about how Invictus has changed the military community back home in Australia because your rehab journey is not really spoken about at all. It’s kind of, you’re injured, sit to the side.”

She also tried to explain to Meghan how the game was unfolding on the court.

“I didn’t really know the basketball rules,” she said, “but I was big on the rugby the other night, so I was like, I’m pretty sure this is what’s happening.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive to watch Australia play Ukraine in the wheelchair basketball at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf.Credit: Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

The duke sat next to Tavis Watt, the Australian team’s psychologist.

“He’s really interested in every part of it,” said Watt. “He’s interested in the individual and their journey and how this process is helping recovery. I just came here to watch the guys, they’re the legends.

“But to be able to give him what happens at the ground level, to be able to talk to someone who has brought this whole Invictus journey into focus, for him to be able to understand what it means for those people on the court, it’s so important, it really is.”

After the match, which was won by Ukraine, the Sussexes chatted to members of both teams, posing for numerous selfies before joining a group of children on court for a kids’ race.

The couple took charge of a team each, with Harry giving his group an enthusiastic pep talk, high-fiving them and loudly cheering them on. Meghan’s team were eventually declared the victors.

The couple then handed out medals before posing for more pictures.

The duchess had given a brief speech at a party for 1600 Invictus athletes, their friends and family at Dusseldorf airport on Tuesday evening, apologising for being “a little late to the party”.

She said she could not wait to one day bring her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to the event.

Harry set up the Invictus Games for wounded and sick servicemen and women upon his return from the war in Afghanistan. Its sixth edition runs until September 16 in Dusseldorf.

The London Telegraph

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