WATCH: Just another reason why Prince Harry deserves 'dad of the year' award

Prince Harry once let a little girl sit on his shoulders at the Invictus Games because she couldn't see what was happening on stage. Picture: Reuters

Prince Harry once let a little girl sit on his shoulders at the Invictus Games because she couldn't see what was happening on stage. Picture: Reuters

Published Sep 12, 2019

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Prince Harry once let a little girl sit on his shoulders at the Invictus Games because she couldn't see what was happening on stage.

The 34-year-old royal has recalled the special moment during the closing ceremony of the inaugural games in London in 2014, when he picked up Isabelle Nixon - the daughter of UK athlete and veteran Adam Nixon - and put her on his shoulders, because she was "almost in floods of tears" after being unable to see Foo Fighters perform on stage.

Reflecting on five years of the Invictus Games in a video posted to Instagram through IGTV, Harry said: "I found her at the Foo Fighters concert, the closing concert in London, and she'd had such an amazing time watching her dad play amazing at wheelchair basketball. 

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Today marks the 5 year anniversary of the #InvictusGames! These games have made it possible for thousands of wounded and injured servicemen and women to use the power of sport to rehabilitate themselves and those around them, while inspiring people all over the world. • “Thank you to everyone who has played a part in the Invictus movement, from you the competitors and your families, to the thousands of volunteers and supporters - you have all guarded the Invictus spirit, while creating a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country at home or abroad. Thank you for the inspiration, thank you for the laughs and thank you for the memories! I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved together. Once served always serving!” - The Duke of Sussex The @WeAreInvictusGames was founded by The Duke of Sussex in 2014 after he saw the power of sport in recovery while visiting the warrior games in Colorado Springs USA. The Duke was so moved by what he witnessed, he felt inspired to expand this concept on a global scale. Since then this non profit organisation has staged games in London 🇬🇧 Orlando 🇺🇸 Toronto 🇨🇦 and Sydney 🇦🇺 and next year’s games will be held in The Hague 🇳🇱 in May 2020. . #FavouriteInvictusMoment Video ©️ SussexRoyal

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex(@sussexroyal) on Sep 10, 2019 at 9:44am PDT

"But she was almost in floods of tears because she couldn't see the stage. And I just stuck her on my shoulders and she just started bopping away. That for me, even though it was year one was amazing because these kids were able to see their parents - their father or their mother - being themselves again."

Harry - who has four-month-old son Archie with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex - also looked back on how "nervous" he was when giving his speech at the  games' very first opening ceremony.

He added: "On the actual night that we had the lectern right in front of all of the competitors, so I could just see all of their faces. They started chanting and I was so nervous. I was shaking. I knew I had a certain window to get my words out and we were also running behind so I rushed it and it's probably one of the worst speeches I've ever given."

The flame-haired royal set up the multi-sport event in 2014, in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part in nine sports including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and indoor rowing.

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