Touchdown! In an unexpected win for the global brand recognition of Canadian Football, Prince Harry took centre stage (field?) at yesterday’s Grey Cup.
Studiously avoiding any appearance of team partisanship in a vaguely Matrix-esque black duster coat and green button-down, the prince was an unexpected (if very welcome, based on the crowd reaction) addition to the program at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium.
And while he’s a known sports fan — in fact, the last time he was in Vancouver he and Meghan Markle were spotted at a Canucks game — Harry was there less as a spectator, and more as a promoter of the upcoming Invictus Games to be held in the city this February, the first to feature winter sports.
Clue #1 that this was very much business rather than pleasure? Rather than simply wave from a box, Harry was actually interviewed by TSN during the pre-show.
“First Grey Cup, yeah,” said Harry, clutching a mic and seated behind the classic sportscaster’s desk when interviewed by TSN’s James Duthie. “What am I looking forward to? The game getting started! Let’s go!”
Clue #2 that this was work for Harry? Joining him for this interview was Wen Nie, one of the competitors who’ll be representing Canada at the 2025 Invictus Winter Games, who had been a medical officer and mechanic in the navy, and came home to live with PTSD.
“It’s our 10-year anniversary this year, which is pretty exciting,” said Harry, introducing his sporting competition for veterans. “It’s really an opportunity for the individuals and their families to heal and rehabilitate through sport.” (This, if you’re wondering, is the “family healing” click bait headlines claim that he discussed. A for effort, F for accuracy.)
The conversation soon turned to sport. When asked if he could translate his years playing rugby into what position he’d play in Canadian football, Harry (after misunderstanding the question at first to be about wheelchair rugby) reckoned “quarterback is a cool place to be.”
And, nothing if not on message, Harry dodged making a prediction about the Grey Cup outcome by saying, “I’m not going to make a prediction for today, but this time in less than three months, we’ll be back here for the opening ceremony. That’s what we’re really excited about.”
Harry later returned to the field with the owner of the BC Lions football team — possibly filling him in on the various nuances, like team and field size, that distinguish Canadian football? — although sadly footage has yet to appear of him dad-dancing to the Jonas Brothers’ halftime show.
And while Harry would very much have liked the story to be the “let’s talk about Invictus” one that he worked hard to push, it’s inevitable that his wife’s absence is a talking point, too.
The couple, last seen together in a video message for a convention around online child safety in early November, are said to be pursuing distinct professional paths, a move that would be extremely normal for any other couple than this one (the divorce rumourmongers’ favourite target), quickly interpreted as a sign of dire trouble in the marriage.
Meghan, if you’re wondering, was last seen in Los Angeles on Thursday at the launch of her long-time hair colourist’s hair care line, in which she is an investor.
This appearance is fodder for another rumour, too: That Donald Trump will make good on his threat to deport Prince Harry — or as the president-elect phrased it, take “appropriate action” if he could prove the royal lied on his visa application about the drug use he details in his memoir — once he takes office.
Pulling together some obvious data points, like the fact Meghan and Harry lived in B.C. after they left the Royal Family and allegedly had hoped to stay there if the Canadian government would foot the security bill, the theorists believe that Canada would likely be his hoped-for safe haven in the (extremely unlikely) event he is kicked out of the U.S.
This appearance, boosting major goodwill by drawing an international spotlight to a Canadian sporting event, will no doubt be added to the conspiracist’s equation.
For now? It’s a great day to be the CFL.
