It was approaching half past eleven, the event was running an hour late, and it was pitch black outside the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich when a suited and booted Prince Harry emerged into the night and joined us for an exclusive interview.
He was hot, a little sweaty and had make-up on his black tuxedo from hugging so many admirers inside. But what struck me immediately was that he was absolutely beaming.
I was lucky enough to be the first person to interview the Duke of Sussex since his return to the UK and, when I asked how it felt to be back on British soil, he was very pleased to tell us that he was "happy" to be home.
It was the perfect end to a long and rather extraordinary evening at the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards – and a chance to see Harry doing something that is clearly incredibly close to his heart.
One thing that really stood out to me about watching Harry in action as patron was the amount of time he gave to people. And I don't just mean the wealthy potential donors inside.
© Getty ImagesEven as he finally left the event, already an hour later than planned and facing a journey of more than two hours back to Meghan and the children, Harry stopped to speak to the police officers who had been waiting outside in the cold.
He apologised for keeping them there for so long, checked that everyone was okay, laughed and joked with them and even posed for photographs. It was one of those little moments that could easily have gone unnoticed, but for me it said a great deal about the way Harry conducted himself that night.
Inside, he had been the consummate host. There were more than 20 tables filled with guests and potential donors, and between the awards and courses, Harry would repeatedly jump to his feet and make his way around the room.
Table after table, person after person, he worked his way through the hall – and I didn't see him turn down a selfie, a handshake or a hug.
© WireImageHe pressed the flesh, charmed the room and, crucially, continually brought the focus back to the remarkable men and women being honoured at the awards and to the wider Invictus family. By the end of the evening, more than £1.7 million had been raised.
What made the night particularly fascinating was everything happening outside that room. It had already been a dramatic day in royal circles, with headlines surrounding claims made by Harry's uncle, Charles Spencer, about Diana and the Royal Family emerging just before Harry arrived.
Yet, whatever Harry may or may not have been thinking privately, you wouldn't have known there was a royal storm raging from watching him that evening. His attention was on Invictus.
© Getty ImagesHe smiled, laughed, talked and listened. He turned on the charm when he needed to, but his focus remained on celebrating the people around him and raising money for a cause that has become such an important part of his life.
Watching him up close, I couldn't help thinking that there are qualities about him that remind me of his mother, Diana. When Harry talks to you, he has an ability to put you at ease very quickly.
So it was an absolute thrill to get those first few words with him after his return to British soil. And we weren't going to let him disappear into the night empty-handed. At the end of our interview, we presented him with a Lola's red velvet cake bearing the words "Welcome Home".
There was quite a lot to celebrate, after all: his birthday had been earlier in the week, he was back in Britain, and we had just witnessed the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards.
Harry seemed genuinely touched – and very amused – by the gesture. He joked that perhaps he could use the cake as a pillow during his long journey back to the countryside that night.
There has been endless discussion about Harry's relationship with Britain, his life in America and his relationship with the Royal Family. I can't pretend to know what happens behind closed doors, or what the future holds for any of those relationships. I can only tell you what I saw.
Having also watched him at the WellChild Awards last year – an event he is due to return to on Monday – there was something striking about seeing Harry back here again.
On this particular night, surrounded by the Invictus community and celebrating a cause he plainly cares deeply about, he looked completely at ease.
© InstagramAnd after all the headlines, arguments and speculation that have surrounded him over the years, it felt rather lovely simply to be able to look him in the eye, hand him a cake and say two very simple words: Welcome home.
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