Prince Harry swaps Invictus gala for Birmingham school pickleball
Prince Harry went from a gala stage in London to a PE lesson in Birmingham in less than 24 hours. He hosted the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards on Sept. 17, then travelled to the Midlands to launch INSPIRE, an education programme linked to the Invictus Games. The back-to-back appearances tied fundraising directly to the next host city. HELLO!
The awards dinner was held at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, south London, on September 17, 2026. Prince Harry attended the gala dinner and awards solo. The night raised $2.2 million — reported in Britain as more than £1.6 million — to help fund the Invictus Games Foundation. People Forces News
That total matters because it pays for work outside the main event. The money will fund year-round recovery programmes for wounded personnel and veterans. Those programmes run between Games, offering sport and support as part of longer-term rehabilitation.
The Foundation behind them was established by Prince Harry in 2014. It is the charity that governs delivery of the Invictus Games and acts as custodian of what it calls the Invictus Spirit. In simple terms, it owns the concept and oversees each edition of the international sports competition for wounded personnel and veterans.
The next edition is due in Birmingham in 2027. Prince Harry has spent time in the U.K. promoting those Games, and the school visit was part of that push. INSPIRE is designed to carry the Games into classrooms before the athletes arrive.
The Birmingham leg could not have looked more different. At Ninestiles School, Prince Harry arrived in a black polo shirt and jeans. He met pupils and staff for the INSPIRE launch, then joined a PE session. Paddle in hand, he played pickleball with students on the sports-hall floor. The visit came less than a day after the London awards night.
What makes this stand out is the contrast in tone. One night was formal dress and fundraising totals. The next was school kit and rallies. Put together, they show a familiar pattern for big events: raise the money first, then build the local buzz. For supporters tracking the road to Birmingham 2027, the school visit was the first visible marker at home. It was short, upbeat and built for cameras and kids alike.
