The Invictus Games set for May 2021 in The Hague will not push through, according to Prince Harry, who made the announcement Tuesday on social media along with the rest of the foundation's chairmen, Sir Keith Mills and Mark de Kruif.
Instead, the sports competition for military veterans has been rescheduled for Spring 2022 while the place will remain unchanged. It will be the second change of date for the event, which was supposed to have taken place in May 2020 but was moved to 2021 due to the pandemic.
Harry, Mills and de Kruif explained in a statement that they want to resume Invictus Games "when the world is ready." The extended hiatus will allow the foundation and its competitors to make more planning and preparations for when they can "see everybody in person" again.
Prior to the second postponement, delegates from Australia, Jordan and New Zealand decided that their teams will not be traveling to The Hague for the Invictus Games 2021 due to the health and economic impact of COVID-19. While many countries have had their vaccine rollouts to stop the spread of the virus, experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that people will still need to wear masks or practice social distancing "for much of 2021."
For the organizers, current social distancing guidelines on mass gatherings may still affect the recovery process of the competitors thus the need to delay for another year. Participants of the Invictus Games are former soldiers who have been physically and emotionally wounded during their service.
Tatler reported that the Invictus Games Organizing Committee optioned to have a digital event without an audience this year as a safety measure against COVID-19 transmissions. However, the board felt that such a format would not be able to deliver the best experience for the competitors.
Meanwhile, Daily Express reported that Harry's travel plans back to London in June 2021 might change due to the sports event's postponement. The Duke of Sussex was supposed to go straight to the U.K. from The Hague and would arrive days ahead for his grandfather, Prince Philip's 100th birthday on June 10, and the Trooping the Colour parade for Queen Elizabeth's 95th birthday on June 12.
Harry is expected to come home alone following reports that his wife, Meghan Markle, and son, Archie Harrison, will remain in California. Sources said that Harry might have an extended stay in the United Kingdom since he is also expected to join his brother, Prince William, for the unveiling of their mother's statue in Kensington Palace in July for Princess Diana's 60th birthday.
