Prince Harry confirms first official engagements in the UK – 15 days after returning with Meghan Markle


The Duke of Sussex will attend the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards, and the WellChild awards, HELLO! can confirm


 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Project Healthy Minds 3rd Annual Gala at Spring Studio© Getty Images
Eleanor Dye
Eleanor DyeOnline Royal Correspondent
39 minutes ago

Prince Harry 's first official engagements in the UK after have been confirmed, with HELLO! revealing that the Duke of Sussex, 41, will attend the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards. and the annual WellChild awards.

HELLO! is a proud media partner of the WellChild Awards which will take place in London on September, 21 2026.

The inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards "will celebrate individuals, organisations and communities who embody the resilience, service and unconquered spirit at the heart of the international Invictus Movement." Harry will also attend the launch of the Invictus education programme INSPIRE.

Prince Harry attends the WellChild Awards 2025 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel © Getty Images
Prince Harry will attend the WellChild awards later this month (pictured last year)

The Sussexes touched down at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday, 26 August, with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, on a private flight from California. 

Though it's known that they are living in a non-royal residence outside of London, their exact location has not been confirmed, though reports have suggested they could have moved to the Cotswolds. 

The couple has kept a remarkably low profile since their return, although Meghan was reportedly spotted at Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds, while Harry was pictured at Tower Bridge Studios in London. 

What is WellChild and how is Prince Harry involved?

Prince Harry has been the patron of WellChild, which works with seriously ill children, for 18 years. 

In July, Harry visited Birmingham Children's Hospital during his visit to the UK, and met families benefiting from the charity's specialist support programmes. 

Harry said at the time: "It is always a privilege to spend time with the children, families and professionals at the heart of WellChild’s work."

WATCH: HELLO!'s exclusive interview with Prince Harry at WellChild

He added: "Over the past 18 years as Patron of WellChild, I have had the privilege of seeing first-hand the extraordinary impact these nurses have had on thousands of children and families across the UK. 

"I have seen the difference specialist nursing support can make, from empowering families with the confidence to care for their children at home, to helping children have the opportunity to live their best lives, surrounded by those who love them most."

Despite moving to the US in 2020, Harry continued to champion WellChild and has returned each year for the annual WellChild awards.

prince harry at children's hospital© POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Prince Harry celebrated the 20th anniversary of the WellChild nurse in July

Speaking to HELLO! at the awards last September, the Prince discussed his two children, saying: "I think once you become a parent yourself, everything changes.

"It's emotional enough not being a parent and seeing what these families go through, but then when you have your own kids or when you're expecting your own kids, that's when it really hits you." 

Meghan and Harry's most recent engagements in the UK

Harry returned to the UK at the start of July to complete several engagements to mark the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games. 

Together with Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet, he , after which he was feeling "buoyed, very happy, and really energised," a source told The Times. 

Harry and Meghan made their last-ever royal appearance at the Commonwealth Games service at Westminster Abbey© Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images
Harry and Meghan made their last-ever royal appearance at the Commonwealth Games service at Westminster Abbey

However, Meghan did not attend any public engagements. Her final working appearance as a royal – marking her last engagement in the UK – took place on 9 March 2020, when she and Harry attended the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey alongside senior royals, including the late Queen.  

As for what's coming, Harry is believed to have a number of charity engagements in place and will continue to work closely with his Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham in 2027. 

Prince Harry writing on Tower Bridge Studios celebrity wall© Tower Bridge Studios
Prince Harry visited Tower Bridge Studios this week

The Duke is also scheduled to take part in a skydive for Sunnybrook later this month, though no exact date has been revealed and it's not been specified where it will take place. 

He could also potentially be heading to New York from 22 to 23 September, as he's been announced as a participant in the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative. 

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