Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are spending time with members of Colombia’s Invictus Games team during their trip to the country.
On Aug. 16, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex connected with competitors during the second day of their trip to the South American country.
The event in Bogotá convened athletes from the Colombian team with Invictus Games founder Prince Harry, who launched the international adaptive sports tournament for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans in 2014.
Harry, 39, who is always willing to take part in adaptive sports with veterans and wounded service personnel, got involved towards the end of the visit. He joined a volleyball match with the partner of the country’s Vice President, Rafael Yerney Pinillo, while Meghan, 43, and Vice President Francia Márquez cheered them on.
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Earlier, Harry and Meghan were shown around the facilities of the Centro de Rehabilitación Inclusiva — touring the swimming pool, rock climbing wall gym, and the rehabilitation areas. The couple talked to the athletes about their exercise regimens, their favorite workouts, and how they stay strong.
“It’s amazing to see how many people can come together to form one team,” Prince Harry said in the center’s cardiovascular room. Marveling at the action, Meghan added, “They are all so incredible to watch.”
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After the match, Prince Harry made sure to greet a group of Korean War veterans who were ecstatic to see him and both he and the duchess toured the center’s art hall which featured artwork created by Invictus athletes.
Duchess Meghan was gifted a painting, hand knitted animals, and also a beaded necklace and matching earrings from some of the artists, while Prince Harry was awarded a special commemorative plaque from the Ministry of National Defense Veterans.
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“To Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex,” read an athlete while presenting the gift to the Duke .
“In recognition and gratitude for your dedication and invaluable opportunities for recovery through sports and the Invictus Games for Colombian wounded, injured, and sick Armed Forces and Police Personnel, serving or veterans.”
In September 2023, Colombia became the first South American country to participate in the Invictus Games by sending a delegation to the sixth edition of the competition in Düsseldorf, Germany. Prince Harry and Meghan watched the Colombian team compete in a gold medal sitting volleyball match against Poland and joined a group photo after the match wrapped.
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Rosa Sanchez Bermudez, the Colombian team’s first female competitor at the Invictus Games who was injured in her work as a police officer, previously told PEOPLE that the “Invictus Games are like a family.”
According to Colombia’s profile page on the Invictus Games website, the Military Forces of Colombia have about 290,000 members across three branches.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the Invictus Games-related engagement after a busy second day in Bogotá, where they kicked off their Colombia trip on Aug. 15. Prince Harry and Meghan are in Colombia at the invitation of Vice President Francia Márquez, who announced on Aug. 1 that the couple “kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country” and would visit Bogotá, Cartagena and Cali.
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Prince Harry and Meghan were welcomed to Colombia on Aug. 15 by Márquez, the first Black woman to hold the office of the country’s vice presidency, and her husband, Rafael Yerney Pinillo. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then headed to a charter school to join students for a discussion on social media, checked out performances at the National Centre for the Arts and spoke at a summit at EAN University about forging a safer online future.
“With the Archewell Foundation, me and my wife believe that information integrity is a fundamental right,” Prince Harry said in part.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are next set to visit the cities of Cartagena and Cali as their Colombia trip continues. The agenda is focused on on the core work of their charitable Archewell Foundation and other causes close to their hearts, including the military community and female empowerment.
