Duke and Duchess of Sussex cheer for teams at Invictus Games opening ceremony

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have watched the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in Canada.

The seventh edition of the games, established by Harry in 2014, began in Vancouver on Saturday, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado performed at the opening event.

Harry and Meghan cheered and clapped for the United Kingdom’s team as the competitors walked on to the stage.

The duke noticed the camera on him and smiled and waved.

Brendan Nelson, president of Boeing International, which is presenting the Invictus Games, told the ceremony audience: “Prince Harry has given duty, courage, hope and love a name. Invictus.”

The Duchess of Sussex clapped and smiled at her husband, and touched his face as Mr Nelson said: “We’re proud of you.”

Coldplay frontman Martin thanked Harry for being “an inspiring leader and a kind and sweet man”, before singing Viva La Vida, a 2008 hit.

On her Instagram story earlier on Saturday, Meghan shared a video of herself and the Duke of Sussex smiling as they posed for a picture with Team USA ahead of the ceremony.

She also posted a video where she hugged a woman in Team Canada kit.

More than 500 competitors from 23 nations will take part in the games, which go on until Sunday February 16.

As well as the opening ceremony, which began in PC Place Stadium at 1pm local time in Vancouver (9pm UK time), there will be wheelchair basketball on Saturday.

Other events to take place over the nine days include swimming, wheelchair curling and indoor rowing.

Meghan’s attendance is understood to underscore her support for her husband and the mission of Invictus, a cause that is deeply personal to them both, and her focus at the games will be on backing her husband, the competitors and sharing their stories.

Harry previously said this year’s games would offer “a global platform to expand the range and profile of winter adaptive sports”.

“With deep respect, I’m also pleased to share that the games in Canada will be held in partnership with the first nations, in the spirit of truth and reconciliation with indigenous communities,” he added.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex famously appeared in public together for the first time at the Toronto Invictus Games in 2017, pictured hand-in-hand at a wheelchair tennis event.

British veterans and serving personnel who were injured during service departed for Canada earlier this week for the games.

The 62 competitors – all veterans and serving personnel who sustained life-changing injuries and illnesses while serving in the UK Armed Forces – left the country from Birmingham Airport on Thursday.

The games aim to “inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who have served their country”, the Royal British Legion said.

The Invictus Games were held in London in 2014, in Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018, The Hague in 2022 and Dusseldorf in 2023.