Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Celebrate Team U.S.A.'s Wheelchair Basketball Victory at Invictus Games — with Hugs!
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are in Germany for the sixth installment of Harry's adaptive sporting competition
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Meghan Markle hugs a member of Team USA at the Invictus Games 2023Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are getting close to Team U.S.A.!
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex hugged the United States' wheelchair basketball team at the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Wednesday after they beat Team France by a score of 29-15 in the final.
Harry, 38, was pictured embracing one member of the U.S. team after the game, while Meghan, 42, — recently dubbed "Amira Ngozi Lolo" by Team Nigeria, meaning, in part, "Royal Wife" — was seen placing a medal around the neck of a teammate.
In another photo, an emotional-looking Meghan — wearing a black tank and jeans — tightly hugged a player as the rest of Team U.S.A. looked on.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Team USA at the Invictus Games 2023Related: Meghan Markle Hasn't Been Wearing Her Engagement Ring from Prince Harry: Here's Why
Following the medal ceremony for wheelchair rugby over the weekend, retired Chief Master Sgt. Garrett Kuwada told PEOPLE how Prince Harry had playfully presented him with his hardware.
“At the gold medal match, as he was about to put the gold medal on me, he grabbed my beard and shook it!” the U.S. Air Force veteran, 52, told PEOPLE with a laugh.
“He said a few words to me and gave me a big hug. It’s awesome to feel that he recognizes me, comes up and treats me like I’m one of his friends. Like all veterans do, [when] we don’t talk to each other for maybe months or years — when we get together, it’s like we never left. That’s what it feels like when I talk with him.”
Garrett, who is also competing in swimming and track and field at the sporting event, first met Harry at the 2022 Invictus Games in The Hague. The pair then spent more time together when they went scuba diving in Hawaii (Garrett’s home state) in November, with the trip being captured for Harry’s new Netflix docuseries Heart of Invictus.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games 2023Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2023 Invictus Games: See All the Photos!
"That was awesome, just hanging with him on the boat,” Garrett continued to PEOPLE. “He’s a veteran, and like all vets, when we get together, we talk, laugh, joke and tease each other. He’s just like one of the guys, it was an amazing experience. He makes you feel like you’ve known him forever."
The Invictus Games was founded by Harry in 2014 for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. The first international adaptive sports tournament took place in London and was inspired by Harry’s trip to the Warrior Games in the U.S. in 2013.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also watched the wheelchair basketball contest between Ukraine and Australia.
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Meghan Markle presents a member of Team USA with their gold medal at the Invictus Games 2023Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
The duo met some of the competitors ahead of the match before sitting in the stands, where they took part in a huge celebratory group wave.
Harry and Meghan looked delighted as they were photographed waving their arms in the air in unison with the crowd and snapping selfies with spectators.
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