Prince Harry has had a busy past 24 hours, holding the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards last night, during which he spoke exclusively to HELLO! The Duke of Sussex has now headed north to Birmingham to launch the INSPIRE education programme.
INSPIRE forms part of an education programme from the Invictus Games, which are due to be held in Birmingham in 2027. The initiative enables teachers to use stories from the Invictus Games in lessons, including in subjects like English, PE and the performing arts.
The Duke's appearance in the city came less than 24 hours after he hosted his special Invictus awards, during which he opened up about his life since returning to the United Kingdom.
Asked by HELLO!'s editor, Jessica Callan, if he had a highlight since his return, he joked: "My highlight so far? Oh, I don't know. Would I dare share it with you? The last two weeks have been… it's been eventful.
"But, you know, we're getting stuck into the work. Kids are in school. We're happy. And as I said, it's great to be back on British soil, and looking forward to Birmingham next year for the Invictus Games that's coming up."
© Getty ImagesHarry smiled as he arrived for the event
Harry's arrival
While last night's event had a black-tie dress code, things were considerably less formal for Harry, as he was seen pulling up to Ninestiles School in a black polo shirt and jeans.
© Getty ImagesThe Duke greeted the pupils
Day with the kids
After spending the evening with his celebrity friends, the Duke looked elated to instead be meeting the students, shaking hands with many of them.
During the visit, he urged the pupils to strike a "balance" between their physical and mental health.
© Getty ImagesHarry had a brief chat
Pep talk
Harry soon got stuck into a game of pickleball during a PE session, and beforehand, he received a small pep talk, while also hearing how INSPIRE was helping the students.
© Getty ImagesHarry got into the swing of things
Pickleball player
Harry has had plenty of practice with pickleball over the years at Invictus events, and the Duke was thrilled to be getting stuck in with the sport once again.
© Getty ImagesHarry proved to be a skilled player
What a shot!
Harry was looking confident as he played.
© Getty ImagesThe Duke was impressed with his win
Winning in style
Harry looked so proud of himself as he emerged victorious in his game.
© Getty ImagesHarry held discussions with several students
Back to school
After playing pickleball, Harry joined a class where students were learning STEM skills. The Duke spoke about the design and technology that went into prosthetics limbs.
The INSPIRE lessons used in the classrooms where designed by both students and teachers, ahead of the Games next year.
© Getty ImagesOne cheeky pupil piped up
Awkward moment for the Duke
The royal faced an awkward moment before he entered the classroom when one students asked "Who is Prince Harry?" Another student at the back quickly replied: "He's the King's son."
