Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have not returned to the UK together since they left for the US in 2020, but could the Invictus Games in 2027 see the Duchess of Sussex break that habit?
The Invictus Games are set to make a triumphant return to the UK, with Birmingham announced as the host city for the 2027 edition. This marks a homecoming for the event, which was last held on British soil during its inaugural year in 2014 in London. Prince Harry, who founded the games, is expected to be front and centre at the event.
Since coupling up with Meghan Markle, the duo have been regulars at the games, but there’s speculation about whether Meghan will join Harry this time around. The Duchess of Sussex hasn’t set foot on UK soil since 2022, barring an airport layover, and concerns over security have been cited by the couple as a reason for their infrequent visits.
Jennie Bond, the former BBC Royal correspondent, weighed in on the matter in a recent chat with OK!, suggesting that security issues wouldn’t justify Meghan missing the Invictus Games.
Addressing the potential of Meghan’s absence being seen as ‘the ultimate snub’, Jennie pointed out: “There is the whole issue of security. Unless this is resolved and Harry gets the guaranteed police protection he feels he needs for himself and his family – a demand that I have some sympathy with – I can’t see him bringing Meghan and the children here.”
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In a more direct tone, she said: “The security issue always provides a credible excuse for Meghan and the children not coming to the UK. Personally, I don’t think she ever wants to come here again, but I think she will be acutely aware that her absence at something like the Invictus games – her husband’s greatest achievement – would signal more than a concern about safety.
“It would tell us that nothing is going to drag her back to the UK, even though it is the land of her husband’s birth and Harry has said he wants his children to know and understand their heritage.”
Looking ahead, Jennie expressed hope that much could change by 2027, as she added that an “awful lot can happen in three years.”
At this point in time, an Invictus games without Harry is largely unthinkable, as the cause has always been a source close to the Prince’s heart since he first launched the games all the way back in 2014. However, as Jennie pointed out ” it would be extremely telling if his wife decided not to attend the games in Birmingham….especially as it will be exactly ten years since she was introduced to the world as Harry’s girlfriend at the Toronto Games.”
Speculating that a visit by the pair could potentially serve as the “perfect opportunity” for the whole family to forgive and move on from their bitter feud in recent years, Jennie remained unconvinced that a meaningful reconciliation was on the cards, as she cited numerous other “perfect opportunities” that had been missed such as the death of Prince Philip, then the loss of the Queen, and even the ensuing coronation of King Charles III.
Yet despite these opportunities, it still hasn’t happened, with Meghan reportedly having made it “very obvious” she has no desire to set foot in the UK, a fact which was evidenced during her recent trip to Nigeria earlier this year, when a connecting flight at Heathrow never even saw the Duchess leave the VIP area of the airport.
However, should the couple choose to go ahead with their visit as a couple, there could be a clear chance at extending an olive branch to the royal family, particularly as the Invictus Games will take place in July 2027, the very same month that Queen Camilla will mark a milestone birthday.
Floating the ideal scenario that she soon branded a “fairytale”, Jennie concluded: “That’s the month that Queen Camilla will be 80 years old and I think we can expect a celebration to mark that. In an ideal world, Harry and Meghan and their children would be over here, attending the Invictus games and celebrating with the rest of the family this milestone in Camilla’s life. But that’s probably where the fairytale ends.”
