Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Went Head-to-Head in Ping-Pong Match

The royals are known to have a competitive edge, and they regularly challenge one another to a variety of different competitions. On November 30, 2022, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle put their game faces on and battled it out during a ping-pong match. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex picked up their paddles for a new promo video for the 2023 Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany. 

In the black-and-white clip, the royal pair takes over opposite sides of the ping-pong table before Harry smiles at Meghan, who gives her husband a nod. Then, Harry begins the match with a serve. A number of other Invictus competitors are also shown in the video. The official Invictus Games Instagram account posted the video with the caption, “Are you ready? The incredible experience that is the #InvictusGames is coming ever closer.” The post also indicates that the games will take place from September 6 to September 16 in 2023 and that tickets are already available to purchase. 

Harry started the Invictus Games after serving as a British Army officer from 2007 to 2008, according to the official website. After Harry saw many wounded soldiers during two combat tours in Afghanistan, he launched the games as a way to support the recovery and rehabilitation of participating veterans, honor those who support their country, and create a community for the soldiers. The first game took place in London in 2014, and the 2023 Invictus Games will be the sixth event.

In April of 2022, Harry told People that the Invictus Games has inspired him. “The Invictus community has very much been a major part of my growth and learning,” he shares. “Creating the games involved listening to military and veteran families and hearing directly from them about their lives, and that offered so much perspective. It's been a lesson in serving a purpose greater than ourselves, and the benefit that comes from that extends to both the individual and community. I truly believe we are at our best when we're in service to others, and Invictus is all about upholding that value."

The sports competition takes the motto “I am” from a line in the famous William Ernest Henley poem, which reads, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." “The poem is a reminder that you have the power to take control of your life,” he says to People.

On April 15, 2022, Harry and Meghan attended a welcome reception for the athletes in The Netherlands, according to People. On the next day, before the opening ceremony, they watched the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge. Harry even joined a team to conquer the driving obstacle course. Later, Harry and Meghan hopped into the passenger seats of a mini kiddie car while being driven around the course.

The Invictus Games holds a special place in Harry and Meghan’s hearts. During the 2017 event in Toronto, they made their official public debut as a couple. They also attended the games together in 2018 in Sydney.