Prince Harry phoned Meghan Markle immediately after landing to ease her nerves following his skydive with a 102-year-old veteran in Toronto.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, made the jump last Friday to raise awareness and money for two Canadian military charities, True Love Patriot Foundation and Sunnybrook. He was also promoting the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. The leap fulfilled a promise he made last year to WWII veteran Ed Marshall after learning the centenarian had skydived on his 100th birthday.
“I’m not in the business of letting people down, but you cannot let a 102-year-old veteran down,” Harry explained to CTV. He also kissed the ground once he landed safely.
The royal’s affection for Canada ran through his remarks. “I love Canada. My wife lived here for seven years; most people thought that she was Canadian. Look, Canada has a very special, a special place in my heart,” he shared.
Harry told the network that Markle did not require convincing, though she grew anxious during the ascent. “Very relieved once we were down,” he said of his wife’s reaction. “It took a while to get up, so I think she was like, ‘Are they down yet? Are they down yet?”‘
The couple’s return to British life has drawn steady attention since last month, when they relocated from Montecito, California, with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. Harry has been open about the transition. “It’s been great to be back on British soil,” he gushed, adding that “The kids are happy in school and it gives me a chance to really focus on Invictus in Birmingham.”
He stayed vague on the reasons behind the move, telling a reporter there were “lots of reasons.” The children initially enrolled in a UK prep school but were pulled out after just two days due to travel logistics and security concerns, then placed in a new school.
Earlier last week, Harry appeared in New York to speak at the Clinton Global Initiative, making the Toronto stop part of a packed North American schedule.
The Duke first met Marshall during a 2024 visit to Toronto. When the veteran recounted his birthday skydive, Harry was sufficiently moved by his daring that he pledged to join him on his next trip to the city. Marshall turned 102 before the promise came due.
The couple’s sudden UK return marks a dramatic reversal from their 2020 departure, when they quit as working royals following Archie’s birth and established themselves in California. They have remained coy about what prompted the shift after several years of building their American profile.
Harry’s Toronto appearance came without Markle, who has begun reestablishing her own British connections. She was spotted in the UK mingling with fellow high-profile transplants, her first confirmed visit since the family’s move.
The Birmingham Invictus Games remain Harry’s central professional focus. Founded in 2014, the competition for wounded service members will hold its 2027 edition in the English city, giving the Duke a natural anchor for his renewed British presence.
The family continues adjusting to their changed circumstances. Harry’s skydiving adventure offered a glimpse of how he balances public duties with private reassurances, phoning his wife from the landing zone to confirm both he and Marshall had touched down without incident.
Harry is expected to continue his Invictus promotional work with appearances connected to the Birmingham 2027 preparations.