A prince who wears his heart on his sleeve. Prince Harry's Invictus Games opens tonight, May 8, with a star-studded opening ceremony in Orlando, Florida.
But while the presence of Michelle Obama and Morgan Freeman is a huge excitement for the 31-year-old prince, it's the service men and women, and their incredibly touching stories, that give the British royal the inspiration to run this event.
"It's an emotional rollercoaster in a really, really nice way," handsome Harry explained when he spoke to ABC news about bringing Invictus to America. "There'll be some incredible stories, [you'll] shed a tear," he warned
But although the stories of the 500 plus service men and women who have survived serious injury to come back and compete at the Paralympics-style sporting event are emotionally charged, Harry reveals the Games is about far more than sympathy and sadness – it's one hell of a show.
"The individuals [are] using the sport to get their lives back on track," explains Prince William's brother. "It's so clear to see someone who's literally been cut down in the prime of their life. All they want to do is get back to that status, that recognition from their family, they want them to know I'm still the same person, I'm stronger now than I ever have been. They want to put on a show," he says.
For Harry, who will be enjoying that show (along with the rest of the country as it's broadcast over the next 5 days on the ESPN network), it’s about enjoyment, but it’s also a chance to send gratitude to the amazing men and women competing in the contest.
"Thank you to the guys who put their lives on the line so we don't have to but also thank you to the wives, the mothers, the fathers, children," says Harry. "This is not a sob story, this is a story of success, of the most amazing Invictus spirit," he says. "And huge amounts of fun," he adds, cheekily.
ESPN’s five-day coverage of the Invictus Games Orlando 2016 kicks off on ESPN2 on Sunday, May 8, at 8 p.m. ET and continues until Thursday, May 12.
