Prince Harry says world is in 'moment of difficulty and division' - Invictus Games speech in full

In a heartfelt code work astatine today's Invictus Games opening ceremony, Prince Harry spoke astir uncovering "unity" during a "moment of trouble and division". Read the afloat code here

Prince Harry's Invictus Games are present underway successful Vancouver-Whistler, Canada, with a star-studded opening ceremonial featuring the likes of Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado and Coldplay's Chris Martin.

Held successful the city's 40,000-capacity BC Place Stadium, the glittering ceremonial began astatine 9pm UK time, up of what is anticipated to beryllium the biggest and champion Invictus Games to date.

Addressing the crowds, Harry said: "Hello Canada and Bienvenue! So, the Toronto Games successful 2017 were incredible, and I’m told determination is nary rivalry betwixt East and West Coast, particularly erstwhile it comes to sport, but I person a question for you Vancouver:

"Are you acceptable to amusement Toronto—and the world—how the Games are done? I would similar to statesman by honouring the First Nations, who are hosting this year’s Games. Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh. Hite-sap —— coo-cwee-lum.

"From the bid for the Games done to this week’s competition, we person walked together, side-by-side connected this journey, and are truthful grateful to you for having these games connected your land. Today, and for the adjacent week - Warriors unite.

"In this infinitesimal of trouble and part successful galore parts of the world, we stitchery present successful Vancouver successful a tone of unity. We correspond 23 nations.
Speak galore antithetic languages and bespeak the afloat breadth of the world’s religions and faiths."

He continued: "Beyond immoderate differences, present astatine the Invictus Games we are grounded successful communal respect, competing fiercely, but believing successful 1 another. Supporting 1 another. And rooting for 1 another.

"The Games were calved much than a decennary ago, from a committedness I made to myself. A committedness to uphold my obligation—a ineffable work aft my ain decennary and privilege of subject work —to bash immoderate I could to assistance my chap brothers and sisters heal, and to champion everything we basal for.

"Over the past decennary I’ve mislaid number of the times we’ve heard you archer america that the Invictus Games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree. Invictus didn’t prevention you. You saved yourself. It was you, who pushed done the uncertainty and despair.

"You, who summited your ain upland and brought america on with you. It was you who kept going adjacent erstwhile you didn’t deliberation you had immoderate much to give. We didn’t bash that. You did.

"The Games simply uncover what is already wrong you. That scarcest—and astir precious—of the world’s resources: character. A spirit—of fortitude and perseverance that tin ne'er beryllium defeated.

"That is the magic of the Invictus Games. For 1 of the astir almighty ways of healing comes not from the infirmary oregon betterment center, but from having a consciousness of purpose. A consciousness of belonging. From being a portion of thing greater than ourselves.

"And that healing, though it begins with you, extends to your children and loved ones, who delight successful the elemental acquisition of seeing you grin again…of knowing your caput isn’t someplace else. That you are afloat present.

"At this moment, erstwhile determination is nary shortage of crises, nary lack of uncertainty, nary deficiency of anemic motivation quality successful the world, the values you embody—the mode you transportation yourselves—not lone astatine the Invictus Games, but each and each day… your courage, your resilience, your humanity…illuminate a way guardant for america all.

"And for that, we convey you. Your enactment did not extremity erstwhile you stepped disconnected the battlefield oregon took disconnected the uniform. It endures. The illustration you acceptable is simply a compass for the world. We request you.

"And we’ll ever request you. Someone erstwhile asked Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison however we past full successful the world. She replied: “Sometimes, you don’t past whole, you conscionable past successful part. But the grandeur of beingness is that attempt. It’s not astir that solution. It is astir being arsenic fearless arsenic 1 can, and behaving arsenic beautifully arsenic 1 can, nether wholly intolerable circumstances.”

"So arsenic we embark connected this year’s competition, present is my situation to each of you: Show the satellite however you behave nether wholly intolerable circumstances. Show the satellite your fearlessness. Show the satellite the grandeur successful your effort astatine victory. Show the satellite wherefore You…Are…Invictus."

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