Windswept Meghan Markle arrives back in California on private jet after leaving Prince Harry behind at Invictus Games – as she reveals gifts for Archie and Lilibet and says she is ‘cheering’ her husband on from home
A windswept Meghan Markle was spotted disembarking a private jet which brought her home to California, after she left Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in Canada.
The Duchess, in a blue jumper with white letters, was unaccompanied except by a security guard as she stepped off the plush transport inside a hangar at Santa Barbara Airport on Tuesday evening.
Meghan flew back to be with their children at their home in Montecito after spending five days in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler.
Aides said the trip home was pre-planned and Meghan had only intended to stay for five days as she had at the 2023 event in Germany.
Following his wife’s departure the Prince has reportedly taken a day off to relax, and ‘unwind’.
Prince Harry will be spending Valentine’s Day apart from his wife after she returned alone to the couple’s £12million home in Montecito, California, to see their children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
Harry, meanwhile, will stay in Canada to watch the rest of the tournament for injured service personnel and veterans, which will end with Sunday’s closing ceremony.
While this means the couple will be apart on Valentine’s Day this Friday, aides said that Meghan had always planned to leave and let Harry attend the remaining events solo.
Meghan Markle was spotted disembarking a private jet which brought her home to California, after she left the Invictus Games in Canada
Meghan flew back to be with their children at their home in Montecito after spending five days in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistle
Aides said the trip home was pre-planned and Meghan had only intended to stay for five days as she had at the 2023 event in Germany
Plans were not given in advance for security reasons, and a source close to the couple said: ‘This was always planned. Meghan is going home to be with her children.
‘Meghan left the Games in Dusseldorf early after five days to go home. This is Prince Harry’s event and she is there to support him, but this was planned.’
It comes after Meghan was said to have told fans at a wheelchair basketball game in Vancouver on Sunday that she was missing her children.
In a recent Instagram post the Duchess of Sussex showed she is supporting Harry from afar and said she is ‘cheering him on from home’.
In the background were gifts for the children with their names on as mementos from the Games.
Harry spoke to their favourite US based magazine ‘People’ to talk about Invictus and the impact it has on people’s lives.
He also touched how he talks about the limbless military veterans to his son Archie, five.
Harry was glowing in his praise for Meghan who took centre stage with her public displays of affection at the opening ceremony in front of 40,000 people in Vancouver.
She was seen planting a kiss on Harry and resting her head on his shoulder.
He said: ‘To have my wife here supporting me is amazing. I love that she’s by my side.
‘It’s such an important piece to this whole adventure.’
Harry told People he is already looking forward to the 2027 games being held in Birmingham.
‘It’s amazing how, after 10 years, we’re still doing this. We will continue the Games for as long as it’s needed – and the need is increasing rather than reducing.
With Meghan now back in California, Harry is said to be taking the day to enjoy the up-market resort at his own pace. Pictured: Harry and Megan walk hand in hand at the Hillcrest Recreation Centre at the Invictus Games on February 10
In a recent Instagram post Meghan said she was cheering Harry on from home
Harry spoke to their favourite US based magazine ‘People’ to talk about Invictus and the impact it has on people’s lives. Pictured: Harry and Meghan on stage at the welcome celebration
‘So the fact that there will be a full cycle back to the U.K. is a place that I never thought we would be,’ he said.
The first Invictus Games were held in London in 2014.
‘I wish that we could close this down because there wasn’t a need for it, but as long as there’s a need for it, we will keep it going,’ he said.
‘I know the U.K. is looking forward to having the Games back to where it started.’
With Meghan now back in California, Harry is said to be taking the day to enjoy the up-market resort at his own pace.
He is an avid skier and will had a taste of what is on offer when he went tubing on Blackcomb Mountain with Meghan and Whistler Mountain where he presented medals in the adaptive alpine skiing event.
Aides are not releasing details of Harry’s plans for his final day in Whistler before returning to Vancouver for the climax of the games with finals and the closing ceremony.
Prince Harry appeared to enjoy tubing during a Family and Friends Tubing event
The Duke Sussex with competitors at the Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding Novice Finals
Harry was all smiles as he posed for pictures with athletes while attending the Biathlon event during day three of the Invictus Games on February 11.
In his autobiography he confessed that he always felt guilty for enjoying ski trips with his father, Prince Charles, because his mother, Princess Diana, didn’t like them.
He wrote in ‘Spare’ that he felt like a ‘bad son’ for having fun on these trips.
Harry is due to attend three events and brave freezing temperatures of up to -11 in Canada.
The Prince proved he does not need Meghan to pull a crowd of fans as he was mobbed when he arrived for an Invictus Games ceremony on Whistler mountain previously.
Fans jostled to get close to Harry and take a photo as he made his way up the slopes in bright sunshine.
His bodyguard Chris Sanchez, a former US Presidential Secret Service agent, struggled to help Harry through the crowds.
It was Harry’s first solo appearance at the games as Meghan is returning to California to be with her children Archie and Lilibet.
He said having Meghan’s support at the events was ‘amazing’ adding: ‘I love that she is by my side.’ The comments came after Meghan flew back to be with their children at their home in Montecito. Pictured: Harry at the Invictus Games in Whistler
Prince Harry has gushed about the importance of having his wife by his side at the Invictus Games – the day after she flew back to their home in California. Pictured: Prince Harry has a go at tubing during on February 11 in Whistler
He will attend other events on his own before the closing ceremony on Sunday.
Prince Harry and Meghan had an early Valentine’s dinner date with close friends Michael Buble and his wife Luisana.
The two couples spent over two hours at an Italian restaurant after they completed their first full day of engagements in the ski resort.
The dinner date was at the upmarket Il Caminetto where they spent Valentine’s Day last year during a two-day event to promote the Invictus Games.
The couple have been warmly welcomed by friends and family of the competitors as well as skiers who are in the resort for a holiday.
They delighted a 1,000 strong crowd at a celebration event to open the games in Whistler where competitors will take part in adaptive winter sports, such as the skeleton and biathlon.
Harry joked that her would get Meghan to sing to the crowd after their close friend Canadian singer Michael Buble had serenaded the crowd gathered in the village square.
Harry and Meghan had been pictured sipping beer as they waited their turn to appear on the stage.
The former actress appeared to be sending a message to Donald Trump on Saturday night as she put on a very loved-up display with Prince Harry just hours after the US President had branded her ‘terrible’.
Harry, a former British Army captain, launched the Invictus Games in 2014 as an international sports tournament for injured service personnel and veterans.
The Games were held in London in 2014, Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018, The Hague in 2022 and Dusseldorf in 2023.
