Prince Harry and Meghan make surprise visit to watch NHL ice hockey match

Shortly after giving a speech at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games, Prince Harry and Meghan made a surprise stop off at an ice hockey match, where they made a sweet nod to Harry’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II

Prince Harry and Meghan have made a surprise visit to watch an NHL ice hockey match between Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The couple arrived at the Canucks’ Rogers Arena home just minutes after leaving the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games at nearby BC Place.

Harry followed in the footsteps of his late grandmother by dropping the ceremonial first puck before play commenced in the match, said to be the most watched NHL game of the season.

Queen Elizabeth II performed the same feat at a Vancouver Canucks match in 2002 during her two-week Golden Jubilee tour of Canada.It was the first NHL match the then Queen had attended since 1951, when still a princess, she and Prince Philip watched the Montreal Canadiens take on the New York Rangers.

Harry and Meghan could have been forgiven for having mixed feelings about who to support at the match due to their shared links to both Vancouver and Toronto.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle surprise hockey fans with NHL appearance
Hockey fans were in for a surprise when Prince Harry turned up 
Image:
SNOHD)They moved to nearby Vancouver Island immediately after they quit royal duties in what became known as ‘Megxit’ in 2020 and previously watched a match between Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks at the same venue in November 2023.

But they also began their romance with secret dates and stays in Toronto, where Meghan lived while filming the TV drama Suits for five years.

Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Founder and Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation (2nd-R), Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini (2nd-L) and Invictus Games athletes Lee Jarrat (L) and Andre Cocker stand at centre ice before a ceremonial face-off between Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tyler Myers #57 of the Vancouver Canucks before their NHL game at Rogers Arena on February 8, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada holds many memories for the Duke and Duchess 
Image:
NHLI via Getty Images)Harry alluded to the rivalry between the two cities at the Invictus Games opening ceremony earlier in the day, where he and Meghan were seen enjoying performances by a number of stars, including Katy Perry, Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado.

Harry, 40, also gave a speech on stage at the event in front of a sold-out audience of 40,000 people.

Prince Harry
Harry alluded to the rivalry between the two cities during today’s opening ceremony 
Image:
SNOHD)

With his tongue placed firmly in his cheek, he had told them: “Hello Canada and Bienvenue! So, the Toronto Games in 2017 were incredible, and I’m told there is no rivalry between East and West Coast, especially when it comes to sport!”.

Meghan spoke about her love for Canada on Friday night while appearing at a welcome reception for competitors behind closed doors at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games at BC Place on February 08, 2025 in Whistler, British Columbia
Meghan spoke fondly of her love for Canada at last night’s welcome reception 
Image:
Samir Hussein/WireImage)

SIMILAR ARTICLES TO THISIt came just hours after she and Harry touched down in Vancouver after travelling on a private plane together from Santa Barbara, close to their home in Montecito.

Meghan, 43, said: “I was not planning on speaking tonight and we just arrived, I don’t know, a couple of hours ago and I touched Canadian soil and I went ‘ohh, feels like home!’.Earlier in the day, the couple, whose children Archie and Lilibet have stayed in California, attended two separate breakfast meetings, including one where Harry was caught dad-dancing.

The first saw the couple meet with Team US competitors and was also attended by a number of US government and military officials.

The second event saw the Duke and Duchess meet with Team Canada competitors, as well as officials from True Patriot Love and presenting sponsor – ATCO, the Governor General, the BC Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, and the Chief of Defence Staff.

Related Posts

Ferrari Faces Turmoil as Lewis Hamilton Speaks Out on Frederic Vasseur’s Shock Departure – What This Means for the Future of the Scuderia and F1’s Power Dynamics.

Ferrari at a Crossroads: Why 2025 May Be a Defining Year for the Scuderia Ferrari might still be flashing smiles in public, but behind the glowing paddock…

Jolyon Palmer explains why Lando Norris might actually take positives from his Canadian Grand Prix incident with teammate Oscar Piastri, suggesting that the crash could highlight Norris’s race pace and strategic mindset despite the setback — offering encouraging signs for McLaren’s intra-team dynamics moving forward.

Lando Norris now faces his largest deficit in the 2025 drivers’ standings after crashing into his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, and retiring from the Canadian Grand Prix….

Loose Women star ‘absolutely devastated’ as co-star axed from show in brutal ITV cull

ITV panelist Nadia Sawalha spoke of her heartbreak after learning that her friend and co-star was axed from the show Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has shared…

Nico Rosberg has addressed circulating rumours suggesting that Ferrari might soon take bold and unexpected actions, potentially giving Lewis Hamilton a significant advantage in the upcoming races.

Ferrari seem to be trapped in a cycle. Every time they get close to ending their championship drought, they tumble back down the order. Ferrari last won the…

SHOCKER: UK’S ‘SEXIEST WOMEN’ LIST ROCKS LOOSE WOMEN! From Glamour to Gut Feelings: Is ‘Sexy’ Dead, or Just Getting Started? Panelists Unfiltered on Confidence, Curves, and the Death of Desire – Why Are Young Britons Ditching Sex and Redefining Attraction in a World Obsessed with ‘Perfect’?!

In a revelation that has set tongues wagging across the nation and sparked a fiery debate on the set of Loose Women, a new list purporting to…

QUITTING TO WIN: Dragon’s Den Guru Steven Bartlett’s Revolutionary Take on Success! From Rover’s Return to the Rumba, How TV Icons Ditched the Pinnacle for Personal Triumph – Is ‘Giving Up’ the Secret Weapon You Never Knew You Had?

In a world obsessed with resilience and the relentless pursuit of goals, the very notion of quitting has long been branded a dirty word, synonymous with failure,…