Roll out the royal carpet! Prince Harry arrived in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, May 6, just ahead of the 2016 Invictus Games, which will kick off on Sunday.
The British royal, 31, was given a guided tour of the arenas and centers where more than 500 competitors will go head-to-head in several Paralympics-style sporting events. Fifteen nations will be represented.
“The prince has helped change the view of veterans like me who’ve got invisible injuries,” Air Force veteran David Romero told Us Weekly. The 46-year-old will volunteer at the games. “These guys have given me such inspiration and I’d like to try out for next year’s Games. To have the prince backing us on it gives the world visibility to it.”
Harry chatted with Romero and got to meet his golden retriever, Jasmine, who acts as Romero’s PTSD dog.
He also spoke with members of the Dutch team who were training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex’s temporary pool, joking that he was wearing “too many clothes.”
“We talked about the first Invictus Games held in 2014 and he was asking what events we were competing in,” team captain Rahmon Zondervan told Us. “Orlando is bigger than London, but we’re all together here as the venues are closer together and the atmosphere is great.”
First lady Michelle Obama will be in attendance at the opening ceremony on Sunday, as will Vice President Joe Biden and Morgan Freeman.
ESPN’s five-day coverage of the Invictus Games Orlando 2016 kicks off on ESPN2 Sunday, May 8, at 8 p.m. ET and continues until Thursday, May 12.