Prince Harry is opening up about the role sport played in his early life and why it still shapes his public work today. The Duke of Sussex, 41, was named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list for his work with the Invictus Games, the international adaptive sports competition for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. According to People, Harry said his connection to athletics began long before the Games, during school years when the classroom was not where he felt most at home.
Prince Harry Says Sport Kept Him in Class
Harry spoke candidly about how much he relied on athletics as a student. "Sport held me together," said Prince Harry according to People Magazine. He also explained that traditional schoolwork did not come easily to him. "I was one of those kids at school who did not enjoy classroom work. If it wasn't for the sports field and the amount of sports that were on offer, there's no way I would have stayed in school," he said. The comment offers a personal backdrop to a cause he has supported for more than a decade.
Duke of Sussex Built Invictus After Warrior Games
That personal history later connected with his military service. After serving 10 years in the British Army, including two tours in Afghanistan, Harry attended the 2013 Warrior Games in the United States. The impact was immediate. He saw how competition, teamwork and recovery could work together for veterans facing life-changing injuries. He then pushed for an international version, leading to the launch of the Invictus Games in London in 2014. Since then, the competition has traveled to Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague, Düsseldorf and Vancouver-Whistler.
Prince Harry Shares the Human Impact of Invictus
For Harry, the value of the Games goes far beyond medals. He has repeatedly framed the project as a lifeline for many participants and their families. "One thing that we really celebrate at Invictus is not only do we change lives, but we save lives as well,” he told TIME. He added that veterans have approached him with deeply personal accounts of what the competition has meant to them. Those moments, he said, are the ones he cherishes most within the wider Invictus community.
Birmingham 2027 Marks the Next Major Step
The next edition will take place in Birmingham in 2027, with around 550 competitors expected from roughly 25 countries. Harry is also due in the U.K. next month for the one-year countdown to the Games. The return carries extra meaning, with the competition heading back to Britain more than a decade after its debut. Harry has also suggested he would like to see the event grow even further, potentially extending beyond one week as demand continues to rise and more veterans seek support through sport.
