Prince Harry delivers rousing speech at first official engagement since UK return

Good morning! Prince Harry is preparing for a big night ahead with the first Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards. They announced on Instagram: "We’ll come together to recognise the people whose courage, commitment and contribution have made a lasting difference to the Invictus Movement, celebrating the stories of resilience and dedication that continue to inspire and support our international Invictus Community."

Meanwhile, Harry's aunts also have packed royal schedules, with Duchess Sophie continuing her trip to Zambia and Princess Anne attending an Inauguration Ceremony of the Restored German Military Cemetery in Staffordshire. Join us for all the latest...

The Princess of Wales effortlessly executes her royal duties today, but not everything came naturally to her when she first joined the royal family.

Kate initially found it "difficult" to find her voice, according to Simon Vigar, a BBC royal commentator and the author of The Four Wives of Windsor.

"Catherine is definitely more confident now... she's more authentic in the public statements," he told HELLO!.

"They're all her own words. What she's doing now, and we've noticed in the narration that she's done for the nature videos as well, rather than a piece to camera, which she's much more comfortable with.

"I mean, it's no secret she found it difficult to start with. She's a lot better at it now. I think it's terrible what happened two years ago, but that treatment is over now, and I think she's really blossomed."

© Getty

The Prince and Princess of Wales, known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay while in Scotland, are making their first official visit to the Isle of Bute today.

During their trip, the couple will visit the Bute Shinty Club in their namesake town, Rothesay, where they will meet representatives from the club’s senior and youth teams before spending time with volunteers and former players in the clubhouse.

Shinty is a traditional sport played with a curved wooden stick and a leather ball. The island has hosted the Buteman Cup since 1900.

© Getty

During her royal tour of Zambia, the Duchess of Edinburgh witnessed a herd of elephants for the first time while taking a boat safari along the Zambezi River.

Our reporter Jack Malvern, who is on the ground in Zambia, recalled Sophie's surprising confession. "That was the first time I've seen more than one elephant at a time!" Sophie, 61, said. "It's so amazing just how peaceful they are. I didn't know that elephants could swim!"

The Duchess spent the day learning about new ways that the Zambian government and the non-profit organisation Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ) are tackling threats to its most endangered animals.

© Getty

Charles, 9th Earl Spencer's new memoir Swan Song is now available to pre-order for half price after copies were stolen from a delivery vehicle in the Netherlands just days before its worldwide release on 22 September.

Swan Song is Charles' personal account of his relationship with his late sister, Princess Diana. It will cover the breakdown of her marriage with then-Prince Charles, and the aftermath of her tragic 1997 death, coinciding with the upcoming 30th anniversary of her passing next year. The price has dropped from £28 to £14 on TGJones.

Some bombshells in Charles' book have already been revealed by the Daily Mail, including a tense phone conversation with the royal about Princess Diana's funeral arrangements.

The Earl wrote: "Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped. I assumed the pause signalled an effort to bring himself under control, but then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death.'Rest assured,' he hissed, 'we'll forget her soon enough!'"

© Getty

Days after attending King Harald's funeral on 9 September, Queen Mette-Marit's son Marius Borg was granted a retrial by the Court of Appeal. Now, he has received an update on his legal situation, with the 16-day retrial set to take place between 9 February and 5 March 2027.

The 29-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison by the Oslo District Court for two rapes, abuse in close relationships, and violence back in June. King Haakon's stepson has consistently denied wrongdoing, and all the charges against him in the initial trial will be reviewed from scratch.

His defence attorney Petar Sekulic previously told NRK: "As expected, the appeal has been accepted in full.

"There is nothing about this case that is gratifying. But still, he is at least satisfied that the Court of Appeal has heard him here, and that they are allowing the case to be retried, as he has wished."Qur

© Getty

Peter Phillips' wife Harriet delivered a striking fashion moment at Somerset House at the opening ceremony of a new, landmark exhibition called 'Reviving Craft: Reflection of the Mind' on Wednesday night.

She wore the £895 'Nyra' dress from Beulah London, which featured a vibrant red colour, a high neckline and long sleeves, tailored with a matching belt that created a flattering flared silhouette. The elegant gown was accented by a distinctive row of pearl buttons fastened up the front. 

Harriet completed her minimalist yet radiant look with classic brown pointed-toe heels, a black clutch, and softly curled hair as she stepped out for the couple's rare date night.

© Getty

King Charles has gathered leaders from some of the world’s biggest tech companies for a summit on artificial intelligence at Dumfries House in Cumnock, East Ayrshire.

Dressed in a dark grey suit, the monarch was pictured chatting with DeepMind's Demis Hassabis and Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang.

In a speech at the event, he is expected to say the new technology should be in the "service of humanity, community and the natural world" and to urge tech giants to ensure that mankind does "not lose control".

© WireImage

© Getty Images

© Getty Images

The Prince and Princess of Wales, known in Scotland as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, arrived by ferry for their very first visit to the Isle of Bute. They are attending the engagement to celebrate local community initiatives. Stepping ashore at their namesake town of Rothesay, the smiling couple kicked off their west-coast tour at the Bute Shinty Club where they learnt how the sporting venue serves as a vital social hub for residents. The journey builds on their ongoing engagement with Scottish island life, following their visits to Iona and Mull last year. 

Prince William put on a smiling display despite the ongoing media furore over his uncle Earl Charles Spencer's claims in his book, Swan Song: Diana, my sister, and his father King Charles' recent comment on them. 

© POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Charles was pictured in the Cairngorms National Park yesterday, for a very special trip to mark a partnership between the Scottish Highland mountains and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, USA.

Interestingly, the peaks of Scotland and the Appalachian mountains were actually part of the exact same landmass over 250 million years ago. Charles was there to view a specially placed granite stone within the Cairngorms, permanently on display to mark the timeless friendship between the two nations.

Royal watchers may have noticed he arrived at the national park with a very unique walking stick, a shoulder-height shepherd's crook. While some may see using a walking aid as a sign of age, Charles has been calling upon his stick collection since he was a young man – particularly when out and about enjoying country pursuits and tackling tough terrain.

Read the full story.

My lovely colleague Matthew Moore will take you from here, to bring you the latest royal updates, including Prince Harry's hotly anticipated first appearance since being back in the UK.

© Alamy Stock Photo

The Princess Royal headed out to Staffordshire on Thursday as she attended the Inauguration Ceremony of the Restored German Military Cemetery in Staffordshire. The cemetary contains the remains of nearly 5,000 people, mostly from Germany or Austria.

The royal's visit came  ahead of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgraberfursorge commemorative event, which will mark the refurbishment and development of the new History Centre History Centre at the Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery.

© Getty Images

Ooh la la! The Jordan royals headed to France on Thursday, with King Abdullah and Queen Rania being greeted by French president Emmanuiel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron at the Elysée Palace.

Their visit to the French capital comes amid a major working trip from the royal pair, with the tour also including stops in Czechia and the United States. During the French leg of the trip, Abdullah highlight diplomatic relations between France and Jordan,  including a newly signed defense cooperation agreement between the two governments.

The highlight of Abdullah's foreign travels will be next week, when is due to deliver Jordan's address at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

© Getty Images

In news that shouldn't surprise royal fans, the Prince and Princess of Wales went to head-to-head in a sporting event, as the pair tried a game of shinty. In shinty, players use their stick, known as a caman, in a bid to launch the ball into their opponents' goal, known as a hail.

Although the pair didn't join the under-17s in the full game, they both participated in a penalty shootout. They both missed their first shot, but were able to score on their second attempts. On her third attempt, Kate, known as the Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland, missed the show and nearly hit Andy McAlindon, an influencer known as Andy The Highlander!

"I was standing by the goal as Her Royal Highness took her third shot and she narrowly missed me. It was a great shot and she said sorry," he said.

© Getty

Zara Tindall is always busy with her horses, and this weekend, she is due to compete at the annual Benheim Palace International Horse Trials. 

Ahead of the event, the daughter of Princess Anne was seen arriving for the customary vets inspection alongside her horse, Classicals Euro Star, who is also affectionately called Casper.

It appeared that time was of the essence for the daughter of Princess Anne as she was seen breaking out into a sprint as she arrived.

And she also made sure to make a fashion statement ahead of the competition. The 45-year-old wore a light brown button-up jacket and a pair of white skinny jeans, finishing the look off with a pair of black and white trainers.

Ahead of his busy evening, the Duke of Sussex has arrived at his Invictus Spirit Awards. Prince Harry appeared to be making a solo appearance as he arrived while wearing a tuxedo, and was flanked by two former Invictus competitors.

The royal was also seen wearing his military medals for the outing.

For those wondering which medals Harry was wearing for his outing, they are the KCVO, the Afghan Campaign Medal alongside the Golden, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals!

© Getty Images

Harry was warmly greeted by former rugby player James Haskell at the Invictus Spirit Awards, with the pair sharing an embrace and even grabbing photos similar to one you might take in a photobooth.

Harry was very complementary of the rugby ace, highlighting his appearance.

© Getty Images

"Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the first ever Invictus Spirit Awards. Tonight is truly a first for the Invictus Games Foundation. We have gathered many times around competition. Tonight, we gather around character. Because there is something we have witnessed again and again over the last twelve years that deserves to be recognised in its own right: the Invictus spirit.

It is difficult to define, but unmistakable when you see it. Courage without bravado. Strength without ego. Service without expectation. It is getting knocked down by something you never saw coming — injury, illness, trauma, loss — and somehow finding a reason to get back up. And then, very often, reaching back to help someone else do the same. That is what tonight is about.

Many of you know the story of how Invictus began. In 2008, flying home from Afghanistan, I travelled alongside three seriously injured British servicemen and the coffin of a Danish soldier. That flight stayed with me because it helped me begin to understand two things about the military that would shape the rest of my life: it gives you purpose, identity, belonging, a team; and in a matter of seconds, injury or illness can take it all away.

Years later, after seeing the Warrior Games in America, we brought an idea back to London. We had less than a year to make it happen — which was probably useful, because it gave everyone less time to tell us it couldn’t be done. In September 2014, more than 400 competitors from 13 nations came together for the first ever Invictus Games. Now 12 years later, thousands have benefitted. We have 26 nations in our community, and the games are coming home!

And something happened that was bigger than sports competition. People who thought a part of their life was over began to see that something else might just be beginning. Their families, too, saw loved ones return to them in mind and spirit. That has been the story of Invictus ever since. Competitors have become Paralympians. Veterans have climbed the world’s highest mountains, crossed its most unforgiving landscapes, broken world records and raised extraordinary amounts of money for others. Some of us in this room trekked to the North Pole and South Pole together 15 years ago. Others here went solo to the South Pole, climbed Everest, rowed the Atlantic, and skydived with just one limb.

Those stories are fantastic, but the achievements that matter most aren’t always the ones that make headlines. Sometimes victory is getting out of bed or asking for help. It is finding work, reconnecting with your family, or putting a uniform away and discovering that your service — and your purpose — did not end with it.

Those victories don’t come with medals. But they deserve to be celebrated. They are the Invictus Spirit. Tonight you will hear extraordinary stories, but I hope we don’t simply applaud them. I hope we recognise what they ask of us. Because Invictus was never created so that the rest of us could sit back and admire resilience. It was created so that people who have served know that when their lives change, we don’t disappear. They served us. We must continue to show up for them, and I guarantee you, we all benefit when we do.

And to the veterans here tonight, and those wherever you are around the world, I want to say this as one soldier to another: your service matters. What you gave in uniform matters. And people far beyond the military community who see in your example what courage, resilience and leadership actually look like.

People are watching. The teammate who is struggling. The young soldier wondering what life after uniform might look like. The family trying to find its way forward. You may no longer wear the uniform, but you still lead. Every time you get back up, reach back for someone else, or turn what happened to you into purpose for others, you are serving again — just differently.

And that matters far beyond our military community. National resilience isn’t built by governments alone. It is built in communities - by people who know how to endure, adapt, lead under pressure and look after one another when things get tough.

At a time when societies around the world are being tested, the Invictus spirit has something to teach all of us. This community doesn’t just demonstrate resilience. It helps build it. Never underestimate what your example gives to the world. And this work doesn’t end when a closing ceremony finishes and the stadium lights go out.

Yes, we are gearing up for Birmingham in 2027 and Daejeon in South Korea in 2029, but Invictus happens every day, all over the world. In rehabilitation centres, homes and communities. In the phone call between two veterans when one is struggling. In the family rebuilding alongside the person they love. And in someone deciding, perhaps for the first time in years: I’m not done yet.

That is the work your support makes possible. So tonight, get to know this community. Ask questions. Listen to their stories. Celebrate them. And then - please dig deep. Because tonight is a celebration, but it is also a fundraiser, and we do need your help. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of ATCO, what we raise tonight will go directly towards supporting wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans across our international community.

The need is not historical. Conflict is not historical. Neither are the injuries — visible and invisible that people carry home from it. They are happening now, which means our responsibility is now. And I hope that is what these awards come to represent. Not celebrity, not sympathy, and not recognition simply because something terrible happened to someone.

Something much more powerful: what they did next. The person who rebuilt when rebuilding seemed impossible. The family who refused to give up. The teammate who came back for someone struggling behind them. The veteran who turned their own experience into service for somebody else.

That is the spirit we are here to recognise. My hope is that years from now, when somebody receives an Invictus Spirit Award, people will immediately understand what it means: character, service, choosing purpose over despair and community over isolation. It means that whatever life took from you, it did not get to decide what you became next.

Because Invictus has never been about what happened to you. It is about what you choose to do next. And none of us does that alone. I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: this is the best community in the world. Not because of what we have achieved together, but because of how this community shows up for one another.

So tonight, we celebrate the people who kept going and the people who stood beside them. And we make a promise to those still beginning that journey: You will not have to do it alone. That is the Invictus spirit. That is what these awards will stand for. And that is what we begin here tonight. Thank you to all the artists for giving your time and talent tonight. To ATCO, thank you for believing in this community and making tonight possible.

And to every veteran, serving member and family member in this room: this night is yours. Welcome to the Invictus Spirit Awards. And now, it is my great pleasure to welcome Nancy from ATCO to the stage."

© Getty Images

Harry wasn't the only one to deliver a speech at the event, as his close friend James Corden was also around. During his speech, the former talk show host joked: "It is an honour and a favour to be here tonight."

An onlooker told HELLO! that Harry laughed heartily at James's line.

Harry spoke for around five minutes, but you can catch the end of his speech here!

The first awards are starting to come in, and winning the Invictus Resilience Award was Hari Budha Magar. Hari lost both legs above the knee in an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2010, followed by multiple surgeries and a period of deep psychological struggle that brought him to the brink of suicide.

However, he was able to rebuild his life with a newfound love of mountaineering. Hari became the first double above-knee amputee to summit Mount Everest, and in 2024 completed the mountaineering “Grand Slam” by climbing the highest peaks on all seven continents—an achievement accomplished by fewer than 100 climbers worldwide, and never before by someone with such severe injuries.

Following an emotional speech, Prince Harry was seen wiping away a tear, and he was the first on his feet to give Hari a standing ovation.

The second award of the night was the Champion Award, and it was America's Ken Fisher who won the prize. Ken serves as the Chairman and CEO of the Fisher House Foundation and has supported the Invictus Games since its inception back in 2014, even helping to secure its future in 2016.

Guests at the event are getting a full meal throughout the evening, and during an interlude between awards, James Corden joked: "Sit back and enjoy your main course, it's lamb, I can see the response of everyone at the table who might be on Mounjaro!"

HELLO! has seen the full menu for the event, and guests really have been treated! For starters, they enjoyed smoked duck, which came with pickled blackberries, goldeb baby beetroot, herb cream, shimeji mushrooms abd hazelnut crumb.

The main course, as James mentioned, was a rack and shoulder of Cornish lamb, which was accompanied with tenderstem broccoli, green, herbs, baby beets and capers. Vegetarians at the event were able to enjoy miso-baked aubergine, confit peppers, courgettes and citrus dressing.

As for dessert, guests could choose from chocolate and salted caramel tart, red berry cheesecake or lemon meringue tart.

Prince Harry appeared to pull on his celebrity contacts to secure special prizes for the evening's auction. Winning bids could see audience members having a private listening session with none other than Michael Bublé or afternoon tea with Elton John and David Furnish. Both of these incredible prizes have been donated by the stars themselves for the great cause. Other prizes include a gorilla experience in Uganda and an expedition in the Alps.

© Getty Images

While we wait for the awards to resume, here's the most adorable photo of Prince Harry meeting Seamus the dog as he greeted members of the Band of The Irish Guards.

The auction is now underway, but before everything started, Prince Harry was seen with members of the crowd taking selfies!

The Duke of Sussex was roaring with laughter as the auction got underway, especially when the auctioneer encouraged a bidder to further with their donation, teasing that his whole life would be "now worthless" if this wasn't icnreased.

© Getty

Now that he's returned to the UK, Prince Harry will be hoping for a smoother relationship with his father, and King Charles did recently step in over a controversy surrounding the Invictus Games.

General Kainerugaba of Uganda pulled out of the Games, but after urging from the monarch, he reversed his stance.