Poor Prince Harry taken to the cleaners on live TV
<p>The Duke of Sussex engaged in a thrilling penalty shootout with Germany's defence minister, Boris Pistorius, during a live television broadcast to promote the 2023 Invictus Games – however, Prince Harry's quest for victory ended in disappointment as he failed to score a single goal in six attempts.</p>
<p>This friendly (yet competitive!) soccer challenge took place as part of the promotion for the 2023 Invictus Games, which Prince Harry attended in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Duke, aged 38, appeared on the popular German TV show, <em>Das Aktuelles Sportstudio</em>, following the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games.</p>
<p>In a clip shared on social media, Prince Harry, alongside Pistorius, Angelo Anderson, and Jens Niemeyer, took turns attempting to kick a soccer ball through one of two holes in a wall on the studio set. The game, known as a shootout, has been a long-standing tradition on the show.</p>
<p>Prince Harry jokingly inquired about the consequences of a zero score before being informed that he'd have to don a German jersey if he lost. Undeterred, he stepped up to take his shots, but his first three attempts missed the mark.</p>
<p>Pistorius then managed to score twice during his turn, and after other participants took their shots, Harry missed three more times.</p>
<p>In the end, rather than a German jersey, Prince Harry was presented with a scarf from the local German club, FSV Mainz 05, which he sportingly wore to the applause of the audience.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="de">Prinz Harry, Bundesverteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius, Angelo Anderson und Jens Niemeyer stellen sich der Herausforderung an der <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sportstudio?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sportstudio</a>-Torwand. <a href="https://t.co/liwmkz0zg0">pic.twitter.com/liwmkz0zg0</a></p>
<p>— ZDF (@ZDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZDF/status/1700637221273862535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p>During the show, Prince Harry also discussed the profound impact of founding the Invictus Games, describing it as a lifeline. He reflected on the shared experiences and stories within the veterans' community, something that resonated deeply with him due to his own military service in the British Army, which included two tours in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>The Invictus Games, created by Prince Harry in 2014, are a global sporting event for veterans and service personnel, and this year's edition marked the first time it was hosted in Germany. Previous events were held in London (2014), Orlando (2016), Toronto (2017), Sydney (2018), and The Hague (2022). The 2025 Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada.</p>
<p>This year's event, running from September 9 to September 16, featured over 500 athletes from 21 countries competing in 10 different sports, representing six continents.</p>
<p>In a video message ahead of the event, Prince Harry expressed his excitement about having participants from every continent except Antarctica, humorously adding that they were still working on getting representation from there.</p>
<p>At the opening ceremony, Prince Harry gave a speech touching on self-discovery, teamwork, and family life. He welcomed Colombia, Israel, and Nigeria as first-time participants and humorously mentioned that since Meghan Markle discovered her Nigerian ancestry through a genealogy test, the competition might get more competitive in their household.</p>
<p>Harry also emphasised the importance of the Invictus Games as a platform for veterans to be part of a supportive community and overcome societal perceptions about disabilities and limitations. He quoted a South Korean competitor, Mr. Na, who shared, "We overcome perceptions of ourselves in society." For Harry, these games were not just about winning medals but about breaking down self-imposed barriers and redefining what's possible.</p>
<p><em>Images: Twitter (X) / ZDF</em></p>
