Prince Harry was moved to tears during the emotional closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Vancouver when he was informed of the positive impact he had made on numerous individuals.

Witnesses observed tears welling up in Harry’s eyes as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted the significant influence Harry had on the lives of many wounded veterans and their families through his unwavering commitment and actions.

Harry gave a thumbs up to the speech and looked down with tears in his eyes as the 20,000 people at the ceremony gave him a lengthy standing ovation.

Meanwhile, over 1,000 miles away in California, Meghan, Harry’s wife, shared a video on her Instagram account capturing the moment Harry received a round of applause, expressing her pride in him with a heartfelt message.

During the two-hour ceremony the Prince and Trudeau each paid glowing tribute to the military veterans who have taken part in the games and saluted their courage and resilience.

In his speech, the Duke of Sussex acknowledged the world was still ‘full of strife and trauma’. 

He delivered his address saying it was from ‘one soldier to another’ and said he wanted to honour not only those at the games but ‘comrades, friends of loved ones lost to battle or to suicide’. 

Harry also took time to honour the four First Nations on whose land the games had taken place.

He told leaders of the indigenous tribes: ‘What your people have endured should never have happened.’

He continued: ‘You show the world how to move forward. Armed with truth in order to achieve reconciliation.’

Harry told the audience that the Invictus community was making the world a better place.

‘You might swear allegiance to different flags, but you stand united in your decency, your compassion and your spirit of service.

‘I can’t stand before you and promise there won’t be challenging times ahead. But I promise you, you’re better equipped now than you ever were before.’

He ended the speech shouting out: ‘Bring on Invictus Birmingham 2027.’

The spectacle was held at the Rogers Stadium in downtown Vancouver.

Musical performances from The Bare Naked Ladies and US country and western singer Jelly Roll added to the party atmosphere inside the stadium which is usually home to the Vancouver Cannucks hockey team.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who had earlier sat with Harry at the indoor rowing event held in the Vancouver Convention Centre, told the audience: ‘Service to your country is the noblest of all. Your strength and resilience is inspiring.’

He was wildly cheered when he paid tribute to the Ukrainian team and pledged that their fight for freedom would continue.

And in a veiled swipe at US President Trump who has ruptured relations with Canada by imposing trade tariffs he said: ‘To our neighbour and allies the Americans we have stood together for generations. Americans are our friends and always will be.’

One of the most emotional moments came when Chole Angus walked the Invictus flag on to the stage in a groundbreaking exoskeleton created by British Columbia’s Human in Motion Robotics.

The UK team then took centre stage with the poignant handing over of the flag from Veteran’s Minister Al Carns.

The MP accepted it on behalf of the city of Birmingham where the games will be held in July 2027.

The former Royal Marine Colonel said: ‘Many of us, especially those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, have come back to Birmingham for treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, playing a key role in their recovery.

‘For them, to return to Birmingham, and to take part in the next games, will complete their journey to recovery.

‘The Invictus Games is not just about courage; it’s about the continuation of service for individuals who are given the opportunity to once again serve and represent a country.’

The Royal British Legions Team UK captains Stephen Hooper, Neil Thomas and Gemma Barnes received the flag to loud cheers from the excited spectators.

Hooper, an RAF veteran diagnosed with PTSD from his experiences in Iraq before being medically discharged in 2021, said: ‘Team UK have had an awesome week in Vancouver Whistler!

‘We’ve enjoyed stunning scenery and made memories to last a lifetime.

‘We arrived in Canada full of anticipation – we leave stronger, braver, more resilient and closer than ever to our recovery. We are proud to bring Games home to Birmingham in 27.’

The Royal British Legion and Ministry of Defence supported 62 competitors at Invictus to represent their nation and aid in their recovery journey.

Several gold medals were won with Elizabeth Brown winning the Skeleton with a speed of 100km per hour and became the fastest woman of the competition.

Harry had launched the games in 2014 after visiting the Warrior Games for US military veterans the year previously.

For 2025 it was the first time the games have been held in two separate destinations with the adaptive winter sports taking place in Whistler.

Two thousand volunteers had ensured the smooth running of the eight days of competition.

Organisers revealed they had served over 3,000 litres of hot chocolate and given away 72,000 meals to friends and family.