Prince Harry celebrates 10th anniversary of Invictus Games

Harry seen leaving the service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral Credit: PA

The Duke of Sussex has celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games with a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Harry joined a congregation of around 1,000 people inside the London landmark where he gave a bible reading.

Unlike the launch of the Games in 2014, now King Charles and Queen Camilla and Prince William were not in attendance.

Among the guests were the siblings of Harry's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales - Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Spencer.

The wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murty, and Minister for Veterans' Affairs Johnny Mercer also attended the event.

The wife of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Akshata Murty and Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Johnny Mercer was also in attendance.

Harry spent some time before the service catching up with his aunt and uncle.

The service reflected on the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, which the Duke set up to stage sporting events for wounded, sick or injured veterans to aid their recovery.

He was inspired to found the global tournament after attending the Warrior Games in Colorado in 2013 and seeing how injured American military personnel thrived on the challenge of taking part in competitive sports that aided their recovery.

Mrs Turner, Team UK captain for the 2018 Games, told the guests: “Wounded, injured, sick, and now with no career: consumed by insecurities, the pain and the fear.

“Our lives were upside down, how could it be, that the little girl I was meant to protect, was now looking after me.”

At the end, after her voice broke with emotion as she said: “Thank you Invictus for giving my life back”, after which the congregation stood and applauded.

The Duke of Sussex arrives at St Paul's Cathedral in London. Credit: PA

The Dean of St Paul’s echoed her words in his sermon when he said the Invictus Games Foundation, which organises the competition, was “not only changing lives through sport but quite literally by saving lives”.

Harry later joined some of the Invictus community for a private reception in the cathedral’s crypt and it is thought he will travel on Thursday to Nigeria, for a tour of the African country with his wife Meghan.

Prince Harry has not visited the UK since February when he met with the King for a flying visit following his father's cancer diagnosis.

The King hosted the first Buckingham Palace Garden party of the year today and the pair are not scheduled to meet while they are both in London.

Prince Harry relocated to America with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in 2020 after the couple "stepped back" from royal duties.

The next Invictus Games will take place in Vancouver, Canada next February.

This is the Royal Rota - our weekly podcast about the royal family, with ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship and Producer Lizzie Robinson.