Prince Harry displayed a lighthearted response to Donald Trump’s negative comments about Meghan Markle by engaging in a playful moment, imitating a Canadian moose.
During the Invictus Games in Vancouver, Prince Harry delighted Meghan with his participation in a playful activity where attendees were encouraged to mimic animal behaviors.
The incident occurred amidst escalating tensions, with Trump rejecting suggestions for Harry’s expulsion and making disparaging remarks about Meghan, stating, ‘I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.’
The Duke of Sussex admitted in his 2023 memoir Spare that he had taken drugs in the past, prompting the right-wing Heritage Foundation to suggest he lied about using them on his visa application or was given special treatment by Joe Biden.
Mr Trump’s remarks are not the first time he has criticised Meghan, who openly supported Mr Biden and branded the Republican ‘divisive and misogynistic’ in a 2016 interview.
He has said he is ‘not a fan’ of Meghan, claiming that ‘Harry is whipped’ and ‘is being led around by his nose’.
But in what might be construed as a veiled rebuke of Mr Trump’s insults, Harry made a speech at the opening ceremony on Saturday praising the veterans’ ‘courage, values and humanity’ at a time ‘when there is no shortage of crises, no absence of uncertainty, no lack of weak moral character in the world’.
The prince, who founded the Games in 2014, told the crowd at the BC Place Stadium that they ‘were born… from a promise I made to myself.
‘A promise to uphold my obligation – a sacred obligation after my own decade and privilege of military service; to do whatever I could to help my fellow brothers and sisters heal, and to champion everything we stand for.’
Yesterday, as a camera zoomed in on Harry during a half time interval at the final of a wheelchair basketball event, he duly obliged – much to delight of those who saw his face on a giant TV screen.
Called a ‘Moose Cam’, spectators were encouraged to smile at the camera, poke out their tongue and waggle their hands by the side of their head.
Other spectators had joined in the fun before the camera suddenly zoomed in on Harry sitting in the stands – and the laughing Prince’s face appeared on a screen at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
The Moose Cam was the Invictus Games version of the ‘kiss cam’ that features at many US sports events where couples steal a kiss when the stadium camera picks them out in the crowd.
Meghan resisted adopting the moose pose but roared with laughter as she looked at her smiling husband who looked to be enjoying seeing himself on the giant screen.
The crowd, who had been watching the USA team take on the Israeli team whooped with delight when they realised it was Harry happily making a fool of himself.
The couple left the match at half time with sources at the games said they were tired after a full day of events, talking to friends and family of the competitors and posing for dozens of selfies.
The games move to the ski resort of Whistler today where adaptive winter sports, including Alpine skiing, biathlon and the skeleton will be held.
The Whistler events will be held in sub-zero temperatures with an Arctic outflow warning posted for North America’s biggest ski resort.
When they arrive it will be -9C while overnight the temperatures plunge to a bone chilling -14C.
Parts of British Columbia are bracing for extreme cold with frigid weather breaking multiple low-temperature records.
Environment Canada said the town of Abbotsford near the border with America saw temperatures dip to -11C, which is 3C lower than the previous record set in 1989.
On Saturday, the Duke and Duchess went to watch an ice hockey game at the Rogers Arena.
Harry was invited to drop the puck to start the game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Sussexes rounded off the day by joining Canadian singer and friend Michael Buble and his wife Luisana for dinner at Vij’s Indian restaurant.
Vikram Vij, owner of the restaurant which features in the Michelin Guide, said the party ‘were extremely friendly and nice’ and ‘ate a lot’. Harry ordered the lamb popsicles – grilled lamb rack chops with curry sauce.
