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Prince Harry 'stole' the idea for the Invictus Games

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Prince Harry has revealed he was inspired to create the Invictus Games after seeing a similar sporting competition for wounded servicemen and women in the US.

Harry, who is currently promoting the four-day-long tournament ahead of its launch on 10 September, said he "stole" the idea from the Warrior Games in America.

Speaking to BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, Harry said the initial concept wasn't his idea, but that he hopes the Invictus Games will be "bigger and better".

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"[I was] happy to steal it off the Americans I think, is probably the best way of explaining it," he said. "The Americans have had the Warrior Games now for the last four and a half, five years."

They have the Navy against the R.A.F. against the Army," he added. "We went over there, I had a team of 30 UK guys that joined in with the Americans and basically saw this event take place and decided that it was such a wonderful concept we should steal it, make it bigger, make it better and bring it back home."

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While on his solo tour of the USA in May 2013, Harry was charged with inaugurating the Warrior Games in Colorado.

Never one to watch from the sidelines, the fourth-in-line to the throne got stuck in to a game of sitting volleyball and enjoyed several other of the day's events.

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During the interview with Chris Harry added that organising the games, which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London, had become his "full-time job".

"The point of them [the Invictus Games] is to use the power of sport to help these guys [injured military members] through rehabilitation," he said. "It's a pathway to allow the wounded back into employment."

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