Prince Harry appeared in good spirits in his first appearance since meeting with King Charles.
The Duke of Sussex made his final public appearance of his UK visit on Saturday at Maxstoke Castle in Warwickshire, joining approximately 200 youngsters and their families at the Scotty’s Little Soldiers summer festival.
Harry, 41, threw himself into the festivities with characteristic enthusiasm, taking part in what organisers described as a royal first: a session of goat yoga.
Meghan Markle’s husband spent fun-filled moments with children. He was pelted with water balloons by eager children at the charity event supporting bereaved military families.
The Duke’s appearance came hours after a private gathering with King Charles at Highgrove, following his Invictus Games launch in Birmingham.
The yoga session featured six nanny goats and their four-month-old offspring, with participants encouraged to mimic the animals’ bleats and gaze into their eyes.
“Let me in!” Harry called out as he approached the enclosure. “Is there health and safety? Do they bite?”
Positioned on a blue mat, the Duke adopted a tree pose variation, balancing on one leg while forming goat ears with his hands.
The duke later engaged in a spirited water balloon battle with three-year-old River at an inflatable obstacle course. “You’re naughty!” he told the youngster, who repeatedly struck his royal target before Harry retaliated with a thorough drenching.
During a question-and-answer session in a marquee, The prince fielded enquiries from children who had lost parents in military service.
When asked about his favourite destination, Harry diplomatically acknowledged Wales before selecting Botswana for “the space and the animals and the beauty”.
Nine-year-old Poppy enquired what brought him joy on difficult days, prompting the Duke to pat his heart and acknowledge the question had touched him deeply.
“My dog makes me laugh, my children make me laugh,” he shared, adding that sometimes laughter simply is not possible on hard days.
His Highgrove gathering marked a momentous occasion, representing the first time King Charles has seen his grandchildren Prince Archie, now seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, since 2022.
2026-07-11 20:39:00
