Prince Harry to Take on Charity Skydive in One of His First Public Appearances Since UK Return
Prince Harry is preparing to take a leap of faith, quite literally.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, will take part in a charity skydiving event in Canada later this month, marking one of his first public appearances since he returned to the UK with Meghan Markle and their two children.
Harry will jump from an airplane to raise funds for the Sunnybrook and True Patriot Love foundations, which support Canada’s military and veteran communities. Organizers have not yet announced the exact date of the jump.
A promise inspired by a 102-year-old veteran
Harry’s decision to participate in the jump can be traced back to a meeting with 102-year-old World War II veteran Ed Marshall at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario, last November.
The pair quickly connected over their military backgrounds and their continued commitment to serving their communities, according to the Sunnybrook Foundation.
Marshall had trained as a paratrooper during World War II. During his conversation with Harry, he spoke about completing a fundraising skydive to celebrate his 100th birthday.
The story stayed with Harry. Inspired by Marshall’s experience, the two developed a plan for Harry to take part in another jump himself.
Marshall will not be there for the event, but his grandson, Bailey, is expected to participate in his grandfather’s honor.
The fundraiser will benefit the Sunnybrook Foundation and True Patriot Love Foundation, both of which work to support Canadian military members, veterans and their families.
Harry’s military background makes the challenge especially fitting
The upcoming jump also has a clear connection to Harry’s own military history.
He spent 10 years in the British Army and completed two tours in Afghanistan, serving as a Forward Air Controller and later as an Apache helicopter pilot. His experience in the military has remained closely connected to much of his charitable work since leaving active service.
Harry also has a longstanding relationship with the organizations behind the fundraiser. True Patriot Love Foundation helped bring the Invictus Games to Toronto in 2017 and later supported the first-ever Winter Invictus Games in Vancouver and Whistler in 2025. Harry founded the Invictus Games in 2014 for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
That history gives the skydive a personal connection beyond the stunt itself, particularly as the event is being held in honor of Marshall.
The jump comes shortly after Harry’s return to Britain
The charity event will also bring Harry back into the public eye following a major change in his family’s life.
Harry and Meghan, 45, returned to the UK from California with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, on Aug. 26. The couple left the royal family in 2020 and have lived in California since stepping away from royal duties.
Their return is expected to be for an extended period and has been linked to their desire to be closer to King Charles III as he battles cancer. Harry and Meghan have not publicly addressed the move.
The family has also enrolled Archie and Lilibet in a private UK prep school, with Page Six previously reporting annual tuition of $25,000. The school’s name has not been disclosed for privacy reasons.
Before the move, the couple had reportedly been looking for a home in the Cotswolds, an area where they were said to be considering properties as they prepared to spend more time in Britain.
Harry and Meghan have yet to comment publicly on their plans.
A new chapter with a familiar cause
For Harry, the upcoming skydive brings together several parts of his life: his military service, his work supporting veterans and his long-running connection to the Invictus movement.
The Sunnybrook Foundation said the event will see Harry take to the skies alongside fellow veterans this September in honor of Marshall. Bailey will carry on his grandfather’s involvement in the fundraiser, while donations will support Sunnybrook and True Patriot Love Foundation.
After returning to Britain with his family, Harry’s decision to make a Canadian veterans’ fundraiser one of his first major public engagements gives the appearance a particularly personal significance.
