Harry goes solo at Invictus event as Meghan cuts back schedule on busy tour

The Duke of Sussex was without his wife Meghan as he presented medals to Invictus athletes on the sixth day of his visit to Australia.

Harry met competitors of the road cycling at Sydney’s Domain on Sunday morning – but the pregnant duchess was having a well-earned rest following a “busy schedule” on their whistle-stop tour.

Kensington Palace said the couple had decided to cut back Meghan’s schedule “slightly” ahead of the couple’s visit to Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

A spokesman said: “After a busy programme, The Duke and Duchess have decided to cut back The Duchess’s schedule slightly for the next couple of days, ahead of the final week-and-a-half of the tour.”

At the Invictus event, Harry shared a laugh with one Australian athlete who appeared to ask him to sign a pair of swimming trunks – or “budgie smugglers” – while he also spoke to Paul Guest, who has an Invictus tattoo on his face.

On Saturday night, Harry officially opened the Games for wounded soldiers at a ceremony on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.

The event was delayed slightly following thunderstorms in the city.

In his speech, Harry hailed what he called the “Invictus Generation” who have shown “the true meaning of resilience”.

Some 500 competitors from 18 countries will take part in the fourth iteration of the games in Australia, after similar events in London, Florida and Toronto.

Later today, there will be an official reception for competitors, their friends and family at an event hosted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.