Prince Harry hails ‘brave’ Ukraine team at Invictus Games

Prince Harry has hailed Ukraine’s Invictus Games team, saying it was there ‘despite all odds … not simply to show your strength, but to tell your truth’.

Prince Harry has praised the courage of the Ukraine team at an opening ceremony for the Invictus Games in The Netherlands, where the Ukrainian competitors also ­received a standing ovation.

“Your bravery and choosing to come and of being here tonight cannot be overstated,” the Duke of Sussex told the audience at the ceremony in the Dutch city of The Hague, on Saturday.

“Glory to Ukraine,” his wife Meghan added in Ukrainian, ­addressing the team that had travelled to the games despite the ­invasion of its country ordered by Moscow on February 24. Harry said the team had told him of its wish to attend “despite all odds … not simply to show your strength, but to tell your truth. The truth of what is happening in your country. You know we stand with you. The world is united with you and still you deserve more.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in The Netherlands on Friday, making their first joint public appearance in Europe since quitting royal life and moving to North America more than two years ago.

The Ukrainian team enters the arena on Saturday night. Picture: Getty Images

A day earlier they had paid a secret visit to the Queen at Windsor Castle, where they also reportedly met Prince Charles, following tensions caused by their interview with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, in which they accused an unnamed member of the royal family of racism.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told the ceremony that some members of the Ukraine team could not be at the games as they were “fighting on the frontline”.

“Of course, we are thinking of those Ukrainians in the Invictus community who have paid the ultimate price for their fighting in the war … we are all behind you,” he said.

According to the Ukraine team, at least four members of the Invictus community there have died in fighting in Ukraine since 2014.

Harry, who served with the British army in Afghanistan, founded the Invictus Games for disabled military veterans.

More than 500 participants from 20 countries are taking part in the games, which have been postponed twice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Just before the prince’s arrival on Friday, the Ukrainian team made its own arrival to great ­applause. The team of 19 people was present in The Netherlands to take part but said it regretted the absence of one participant, trapped in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol. The paramedic, Yuliia Paievska, known as Taira, is “in danger of death now”, a spokeswoman for the team said.

“She is the only woman on the team and was due to compete in archery and swimming,” the team said late on Friday.

AFP