Invictus Games: Prince Harry arrived at the event without Meghan

Prince Harry’s appearance at the NEC comes at an event marking the countdown to next year’s Invictus Games in Birmingham.

He is watching performances by Invictus, including a combination of wheelchair rugby and pickleball tennis, table tennis and badminton.

Prince Harry tried his hand at pickleball, playing a double game, watched by competitors, families and fans and a bank of press cameras.

The Games are a cause close to the heart of Prince Harry, who has worked hard to promote this as a regular international event for injured military veterans and the inspiring stories of competitors.

But his return to England this week was overshadowed by chaos and a change of plans.

Details of the tour were published two weeks ago, with Meghan appearing at events in London and Birmingham in her first UK appearance since 2022.

But after a row over security levels, Meghan pulled out of the event in London – although she is open to appearing at events in Birmingham later in the week.

It was announced on Thursday that she will not be attending any public events in the UK.

Her representatives would not comment on any private meeting, which means that King Charles will still be able to meet his grandchildren, Arch and Lilibeth, along with Prince Harry and Meghan.

Even before the week of events officially began, there was confusion over whether Prince Harry would stay at Buckingham Palace.

His team announced that they had accepted an invitation to stay at the palace, but that was quickly turned down by the palace, which Prince Harry said he had been told in advance. He was not allowed to stay there.

That was Tuesday’s first engagement in promoting the Invictus Games. The result of Prince Harry’s court case is overshadowed In relation to Associated Newspapers, he lost all claims of illegal data collection.

A subsequent event in London was closed to the press.

On Thursday, the visit seemed to be getting back on track, when Prince Harry was welcomed A warm welcome at the children’s hospital in Birmingham.

The event at the NEC on Friday, where his team will be surrounded by people praising the work of the injured servicemen, hopes to return the focus of the trip to the Invictus Games.