PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have arrived for day two of the Invictus Games in the Netherlands.
The pair held hands at the sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women – just hours after the Duchess of Sussex made a dig at the Firm during her opening ceremony speech.
Harry, wearing an Invictus Games fleece and beige trousers, hugged athletes as a turned up to compete on the first full day of the competition.
Meghan, dressed in a white jacket, blue jeans and oversized sunglasses, also beamed as crowds filed in to Zuiderpark in The Hague.
The former actress last night risked the wrath of the royals by telling the audience: “The is service”, echoing the Queen‘s words after Megxit.
Confirming the couple’s departure from royal life, the monarch said they would not “continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service”.
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In response, the Sussexes issued a terse statement reading: “We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”
And the duchess yesterday dug the knife in deeper, saying: “This is service, this is dedication and this is the Invictus family.”
Ingrid Seward, royal commentator and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, called it an “interesting choice of words”.
Meghan made the “barbed innuendo” at the opening ceremony of the Games ahead of today’s jammed-packed schedule.
The couple will spend Easter Sunday watching athletics, archery and sitting volleyball at the Zuiderpark.
At the same venue yesterday, they played around in mini trucks driven by kids.
The royals dressed down for the occasion, with Meghan opting for loose jeans and a black jacket and Harry a dark polo shirt and blue trousers.
Both later slipped on sunglasses for the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge, which tests “navigational ability, observation and teamwork”.
The duke himself took part in the obstacle course as a passenger while his wife watched from the side lines.
Their first appearance at the Games, which Harry helped set up, came just days after they secretly met the monarch and Prince Charles at Windsor Castle on their first joint trip to Britain since they quit royal duty in March 2020.
Harry is understood to have behind the “clear the air” chat, but he may have been encouraged by Her Majesty, 95, after they missed Prince Philip’s memorial service.
An insider said: “Harry contacted his father and said he wanted to meet.
“Harry instigated it all. It was an olive branch from Harry and made in an effort to clear the air.
“The Queen agreed to see them both but only after he had met Charles first.”
‘VVIP’ STATUS
Harry and Meg jetted to the UK on their way to the Netherlands before making a dazzling entrance for their first public appearance in Europe since Megxit.
Both beamed as they arrived hand-in-hand to meet hero competitors, followed closely by a Netflix crew filming their £112million documentary.
Meghan was dressed all in white, with an oversized £2,100 Valentino blazer, matching £1,100 flared trousers, plus a pair of £810 white Aquazzura heels.
Also on display was a £286 Sophie Lis gold pendant necklace, the £12,626 diamond Cartier earrings she wore for her wedding to Harry, a gold chain finger bracelet — plus a Cartier Tank watch worth about £4,800.
Meghan topped it off with a white £2,200 Valentino bag with gold clasp and gold chain.
The couple’s spectacular arrival had all the hallmarks of a royal engagement — the likes of which Harry had jettisoned when he quit to live in the US.
Harry and Meghan have been given “VVIP” status by Dutch police for their visit, meaning they will be guarded by a “high-level multi-agency protection programme”, it is claimed.
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Their plea for the private security team to be armed was earlier snubbed by Dutch authorities, but their bodyguards are said to have liaised with officials for their first post-Megxit trip.
It comes amid Harry’s ongoing legal battle with the British Government after he was stripped of his taxpayer-funded Met Police armed guards when he quit royal duty.
