Prince Harry and Meghan Markle thank First Nations youth ambassadors for 'welcoming the Invictus Games onto their sacred land' after Sussexes spend evening with indigenous group

• The Duke and Duchess toured the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler
• The couple are visiting the Canadian city as part of a two-day trip from California 

Prince Harry and Meghan have thanked First Nations youth ambassadors for ‘welcoming the Invictus Games onto their sacred land’ at a reception in Canada.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex toured the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler as part of their two-day trip from California to highlight next year’s event,  which will be the first to involve winter sports.

The couple were joined by Youth Ambassadors, Chief Nelson and Wilson Williams before attending a reception where artists who created the Invictus Games  logo debuted their artwork.

The collaboration marks the first time all four First Nations of Canada, one of three indigenous groups recognised in the country, have worked together on the same piece of art.

A statement on the couple’s new Sussex.com website read: ‘The evening and presentation were extremely meaningful. IG2025 and the couple could not be more proud to share the artists’ piece with the world.

‘The couple recognise the significance of the First Nations communities welcoming the Invictus Games onto their sacred land and are thankful for the warmth and hospitality.’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met with First Nations youth ambassadors today as they toured the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler

Harry and Meghan, were seen earlier today hand in hand and smiling on Valentine’s Day at a ski resort in Whistler, Canada

The exterior of the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, where Harry and Meghan attended a reception event earlier today

Earlier today Harry and Meghan were pictured smiling and hand-in-hand as they arrived at a picturesque Whistler ski resort, watched by what appeared to be their own film crew.

The former Suits star also appeared to be filming on her phone as Harry tried a ski chair for disabled athletes and spoke to instructors as well as competitors training for Invictus 2025.

Harry had a go at sit-skiing and before he set off, had joked: ‘Do I need to sign a waiver?’.

Afterwards a group serenaded the couple with a rendition of ‘God Save The King’. Meghan waved as she got into a Jeep while Harry may have spoken to them. One skier said: ‘He was very nice’.

They did not appear at all affected by the row over their Sussex.com website row – and criticism over their use of the royal links despite their rift with the Windsors and an agreement with the Queen not to use their HRH titles for business purposes or trade off their royal connections.

The Whistler trip is also their first public appearance as a couple since King Charles’s cancer diagnosis. Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, appear to have stayed at home in Montecito.

Meghan was all smiles and glamour in skinny white jeans and a sweater topped with a beige quilted coat. She was flashing her £140,000 engagement ring.

Meghan led the way as she and Harry were filmed as the arrived for the publicity event

A film crew was spotted joining the Sussexes as they arrived for a day of sit-skiing, with the Duchess rubbing the arm of the cameraman as she passed

The Duchess of Sussex waves to the crowds

Meghan was filming or taking pictures watched by an Invictus official

The Duchess has not been seen publicly wearing the glittering band, comprising one huge Botswana diamond and two from Princess Diana’s collection, since May 2023.

Harry was dressed down in jeans and a black Eddie Bauer anorak as he arrived for a training session with athletes planning to take part in the 2025 Games.

The pair were spotted bending down to talk to athletes competing at the games, while Harry tried out one of the competitors’ sit-skis, all while being followed close behind by a camera crew.       Meghan was seen smiling with officials as she used her mobile to gather content.

Harry and Meghan made their way out of the gondola on Whistler’s Blackcomb Mountain shortly after 2.30pm local time and were introduced to three groups of adaptive skiers: one Alpine sit-ski, one standing ski and one group of visually impaired athletes.

Their trip to Canada comes as the couple are embroiled in a series of controversies – one over their new Sussex.com website and another over Harry’s flying visit to London last week to see King Charles following his cancer diagnosis.

Alex Cairns, a sit-skier from Canada, was the first to meet the Sussexes and gave a demonstration of the sport – arriving at the base of the slope to cheers from Harry.

The Whistler games will be the first time that Invictus has featured winter sports.

The Duchess of Sussex looked delighted as she watched Harry speak to an instructor at Whistler to mark a year until the first winter Invictus Games

Meghan watched Harry and others skiing

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the Invictus Games One Year To Go Event

Harry tried out one of the competitors’ sit-skis and appears to be enjoying himself while being pushed down the slope by his instructor

The couple were spotted bending down to talk to athletes competing at the games

Harry and Meghan were seen talking to one group of visually impaired athletes

The couple arrived in Canada on Tuesday and were pictured by DailyMail.com touching down in Vancouver just after noon Pacific time following a two-hour flight from Santa Barbara – the closest airport to their home in Montecito.

Their arrival came on the same day that Meghan announced she had signed a new podcast deal with Lemonada Media after she and Harry parted ways with Spotify.

A convoy of cars collected the famous duo and whisked them away to Whistler where they are due to be on Wednesday and Thursday before they return to Vancouver for an event in the City of Glass on Friday.

The pair are then expected to travel home to California on Friday afternoon to be reunited with their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, two.

The Duke and Dutchess are currently embroiled in an ongoing row over their rebranded ‘royal’ website Sussex.com – complete with Meghan’s coat of arms – which critics claim is a breach of their promise to the late Queen when they acrimoniously quit front-line royal duties.

Sources say the couple did not consult palace officials about using their Sussex titles.

A source close to the couple defended the use of their royal titles, saying: ‘Prince Harry and Meghan are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. That is a fact. It is their surname and family name.’

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