Milestones are an exciting moment for any parent.
Prince Harry has opened up about fatherhood, saying he is a “proud papa” to his son and daughter.
The Duke of Sussex revealed his daughter Lilibet, 10 months, is rearing to go and catch up to her big brother Archie, who turns three next month.
“Her current priorities are trying to keep up with her brother,” the royal told People. “She took her first step just a few days ago! Proud papa, here.”
Harry is currently in The Netherlands cheering on athletes participating in the Invictus Games, which he founded as an international sporting event for wounded, sick and injured soldiers and veterans. He says he and his wife, Megan Markle, “can’t wait” until their kids are old enough to come along to the games that their parents made their first public appearance as a couple at.
“I showed Archie a video of wheelchair basketball and rugby from the Invictus Games in Sydney, and he absolutely loved it,” the dad-of-two said.
“I showed him how some were missing legs and explained that some had invisible injuries, too. Not because he asked, but because I wanted to tell him. Kids understand so much, and to see it through his eyes was amazing because it’s so unfiltered and honest.”
The 37-year-old added that his life has changed significantly since he launched the Games in 2014, and that “being a dad certainly adds another emotional layer” to watching them now.
“When I was in the Army, I promised myself I would be out before having a wife and kids, because I couldn’t imagine the heartache of being apart for so long during deployment, the risk of possibly getting injured, and the reality that my family’s lives could be changed forever if that happened,” he explained, adding that every athlete participating in the Games has experienced that to some degree.
As for how far he and Megan have come since making their debut as a couple at the Toronto Games in 2017, this year’s contest marks a full-circle moment.
“Five years later, here we are in The Hague at the fifth Invictus Games, as parents of two, and living in the US. I had always wanted to share these incredible moments with someone special, and to have Meg by my side means everything.”
