Prince Harry Refused To Answer These Specific Media Questions at the Invictus Games

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Prince Harry’s 2023 Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany was a resounding success because he and Meghan Markle were able to show the world what their post-royal mission was all about. To accomplish this, the Duke of Sussex had to keep one particular topic off the table when it came to speaking with the media: the royal family feud. 

Ulrike Grunewald, royal correspondent for the German network ZDF, spoke to Vanity Fair about the stipulations Harry set ahead of his press interviews. “The agreement was that he wasn’t going to talk about his family,” Grunewald explained. “His whole attitude was ‘this is about them, the competitors.’” It allowed for the Sussexes to shine and remind people of that easy charm that won everyone over in their early days at the palace together. 

“It felt like the old Harry was back,” she added. “He talked to all of us. We had some little toys that we gave for Archie and Lilibet. He said he was enjoying Germany and has a lot of German in him, he was obviously referring to his family heritage.” Despite his wildly successful memoir, Spare, Prince Harry felt the fallout from critics, who felt like he cashed in on his royal lineage.

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With Harry and Meghan’s roots firmly planted in the U.S., a source told Vanity Fair that the couple is still a showstopper. “Harry actually wants to be on the sidelines, he’s happy not to be the star attraction when it comes to Invictus. He wants the focus to be on the games and the competitors,” the royal source noted. “Ultimately when Meghan turns up press interest soars and there is more coverage, that’s the way it is.” Now that the couple seems to be headed in a clear direction, their second post-royal chapter is on solid ground.

Click here to see a complete timeline of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s feud with the royal family.