10.02.2025 15:30
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faced criticism for passing in a golf cart in front of disabled veterans at the Invictus Games. Their actions were described by some as "attention-seeking." In widely shared footage online, the couple is seen driving past veterans in wheelchairs, despite being "healthy." This situation led to the couple receiving backlash.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle faced harsh criticism for passing in a golf cart in front of disabled veterans at the Invictus Games on Sunday.
43-year-old Meghan attended the seventh season of the games, which her husband Harry (40) founded in 2014 for injured, disabled, and ill soldiers.
However, a short video of the couple in the golf cart, shared on Meghan's Instagram, received backlash from some who claimed the "healthy" couple was "showboating" as they passed in front of veterans in wheelchairs.
In widely shared footage online, the "healthy" couple is seen driving past veterans who are cheering "Harry" as they go by.
One person wrote: "So Meghan and Harry, two healthy people, are passing in a golf cart in front of disabled veterans."
"Some of the veterans are in wheelchairs. They should have walked through the group, greeted them, and shaken hands. Especially with a camera following them from behind. Incredible."
Another said: "They are moving forward while being filmed from the car behind... people are being encouraged to cheer for them. When will this madness end?"
Another wrote: "Who is being honored here? The veterans, or Harry and Meghan who are being honored by the veterans!"
Another added: "Disabled veterans were left waiting in a long, cold concrete corridor while these two healthy people passed by in a golf cart in the opposite direction. Just when you think it couldn't get any lower..."
A fifth person added: "So Meghan and Harry, two healthy people, are passing in a golf cart in front of disabled veterans."
"Some of the veterans are in wheelchairs. They should have walked through the group, greeted them, and shaken hands. Especially with a camera following them from behind. Incredible."
The seventh season of the games began on Saturday in Vancouver, with performances by Chris Martin from Coldplay and singer Nelly Furtado at the opening event.
This year's games, which honor the famous soldiers and women who risk their lives for their countries, will feature winter sports for the first time in history.
Meghan's participation appears to highlight her support for the mission of Invictus, which is a deeply personal cause for both her and her husband.
The sole focus of these games will be to celebrate her husband, the competitors, and their stories.
The couple was first seen together in 2017 at the Toronto Invictus Games, where they were photographed holding hands at a wheelchair tennis event. In 2023, Meghan and Harry cheered for athletes among the crowds at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany.