Prince Harry Merges His Veterans Charity with Invictus Games Foundation Following Royal Exit
Prince Harry is merging two of his passion projects.
The Endeavour Fund — which Harry established to support the ambitions of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans — announced Monday that they are now part of the Invictus Games Foundation after previously being under the umbrella of The Royal Foundation. Prince Harry, who served in the Army for over a decade, created the Paralympic-style competition for wounded veterans and service men and women in 2014.
It's a fitting combination, as both organizations emphasize the positive impact of sport and competition despite setbacks.
Dominic Reid, CEO of the Invictus Games Foundation, said, "The Endeavour Fund has been doing incredible things for many years and we believe that together, both organisations will have a positive and sustained impact on the recovery and rehabilitation journeys of many from around the world who have experienced injury or illness during service."
Delighted to announce that the @EndeavourFund has been transferred to a new home within @WeAreInvictus!
Read More: https://t.co/Fw2X80a5zQ pic.twitter.com/D7ShUEzEnX— Endeavour Fund (@EndeavourFund) June 1, 2020
The Endeavour Fund was established in 2012 and was part of The Royal Foundation, the charitable arm that Harry was a part of alongside brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton. Last year, Harry and Meghan Markle announced they were splitting from The Royal Foundation as the two couples started to take "divergent paths" in their charity work and needed to reflect that in different outlets, a source told PEOPLE.
Meghan, 38, and Prince Harry, 35, have since stepped down from their royal roles. They plan to launch a foundation called Archewell, they confirmed in April.
"Before SussexRoyal came the idea of 'arche' — the Greek word meaning 'source of action,' " the couple continued. “We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon. We look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right.”
Samir Hussein/WireImage Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Paul Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The Endeavour Fund Awards in March were one of Meghan and Prince Harry's final engagements before their royal exit.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex each presented an award, and Harry made a moving speech. They even had front row seats for a surprise proposal!
In recent years, they have taken part in the judging panel for the awards. They kicked off the evening by meeting the inspiring nominees and some of the key supporters of the Endeavour Fund at a reception.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at 2018 Invictus Games
Last month, Prince Harry shared a personal video message on Twitter about the Invictus Games, which was postponed to next year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"As we commemorate V-Day this weekend, and pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of the entire second World War generation, we should've also been gathering together in the Netherlands to kick start the Invictus Games 2020 in The Hague," Harry said.
Marking what would have been the Opening Ceremony for the @InvictusGamesNL, our Patron The Duke of Sussex shares his best wishes to supporters and competitors, and outlines plans this week to bring The Hague home to you: pic.twitter.com/HLRnzCk9cu
— Invictus Games Foundation (@WeAreInvictus) May 9, 2020
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"Life has changed dramatically for all of us since I was last in The Hague, but the IG2020 team has done an incredible job to adapt so quickly to the situation, and are busy planning dates for next year," he continued. "The new dates will be shared with you very soon. I hope all of those in the Invictus family are coping well and supporting each other through these challenging times."