Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for Invictus Games reception

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for Invictus Games reception



Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle attended the reception for the forthcoming games for wounded soldiers.



The couple, due to be wed next month in Windsor, were pictured being greeted at the event hosted by Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia, and his wife Lucy Turnbull, in west London.



The couple attended the event to hear more about plans for the games during the reception, and to greet servicemen and women from both Australia and the UK



It is expected Harry, who is patron of the Invictus Games Foundation which oversees the delivery of the tournament, will travel to Australia for the event with Ms Markle, who will by then be his wife.



When Toronto hosted the Paralympic-style event last year the former Suits star, who at the time was living and working in the city, attended the opening and closing ceremonies and visited competitors with Harry.



Former Suits actress Ms Markle wore a patterned green dress from Self-Portrait, costing £300 from Harvey Nichols.



The 36-year-old also wore black Manolo Blahnik heels, costing £495 with a black blazer from Alexander McQueen to her outfit with a price tag of £1245. She has worn this pairing before at The Endeavour Fund Awards.





The Invictus Games is the only international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women, both serving and veteran.



The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect of all those who serve their country.



Servicemen and women praised Prince Harry for changing lives ahead of this year's Invictus Games in Sydney.





Jo Hursey, 42, from Herefordshire, who knows Harry from her 23 years in the army, said: 'I don't think he realises how many lives he's changed.



'He's changed mine for the better.'



The 42-year-old said she tried to persuade Ms Markle to try out 'sitting volleyball', saying the former Suits actress seemed keen.



In a speech, Mr Turnbull said the competitors would get the 'respect and recognition they so thoroughly deserve'.



He said: 'It will be a formidable contest. Five hundred athletes ... will all be competing in a country and a city which will applaud them for their service and cheers them on to greater heights.'



He said the spirit of the games was embodied by people like Curtis McGrath, a young Australian combat medic who lost both legs in Afghanistan before winning the canoeing Paralympic gold in Rio de Janeiro two years ago.





Chelsea Pensioner Marjorie Cole, who taught cooking in the Women's Royal Army Corps for around 15 years, said: 'It's absolutely fantastic what Harry is doing for disabled veterans.



'It's brought them to the forefront despite what they've gone through.



'I was at the first Invictus Games at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and it was something I'll never forget.'



The prince recognised Ms Cole in the hall and stopped for a chat, with the 73-year-old later saying: 'He's very charming and said 'nice to see you again'. I'm thrilled for him and Meghan.'



Asked if she would be flying out to Sydney, Ms Cole replied: 'I've got to win the lottery first.'



Prince Harry and Ms Markle are set to wed next month in a ceremony which will involve no foreign heads of state at St George's Chapel in Windsor.



Last month, the couple were names among the most influential people on the planet in the Time top 100 list.



Kensington Palace confirmed that the 600 guests invited to watch the couple exchange vows on May 19 at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle would all be those with a direct relationship with Meghan and Harry.



Sydney is the fourth city to host the games, after London in 2014, Orlando in 2016, and Toronto in 2017.



The Invictus Games Sydney 2018 will take place from 20-27th October and will see over 500 competitors from 18 nations compete in 11 adaptive sports.



On Wednesday, Ms Markle attended a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Women's Empowerment reception.



The couple mingled and chatted with guests at the Women's Empowerment reception which was hosted by Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson. 



Harry and Meghan, who are due to tie the knot next month, met representatives from charities and organisations working to promote global gender equality through girls' education - a cause close to Meghan's heart.