Prince Harry praises ‘healing’ power of sport at summit in Tokyo

The Duke of Sussex is travelling with his friend, Ignacio Figueras

The Duke of Sussex has praised the power of sport while appearing at a summit in Tokyo today (Wednesday 9 August).

Prince Harry participated in the ISPS Sports Values Summit-Special Edition with his friend and fellow polo player, Ignacio Figueras.

The visit comes ahead of the duke’s annual fundraising polo match, which will take place in Singapore on Saturday (12 August). He appears to be travelling without the Duchess of Sussex or their two children to accompany him.

In a statement via his charity Sentebale, Harry said: “I have long believed that sport is a conduit for healing – not just for the mind and body but the world.

“Sport requires having a dream and the need for community. Whether banded together in victory or showing up with respect in loss, no one ever crosses a finish line or scores a goal without the help and belief of others.

“The lessons we learn on the field are often the same principles of philanthropy; that a mission, hard work, dedication, and partnership can make even the impossible, possible.

“That is what giving back requires, and we are all capable of creating or joining a team to do so.”

Figueras, who will be captaining the Singapore Polo Club against Harry’s Royal Salute Sentebale team, said in a statement: “It’s wonderful to be here in Japan on behalf of Sentebale taking the opportunity to talk about the power of polo, a sport I love, and how it serves as a platform to raise awareness for our work.

Haruhisa Handa, from left, CEO of the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS), Britain's Prince Harry, former All Blacks player Dan Carter and Argentine polo player Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras attend an event organized by the ISPS Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023 (AP)

“Next stop is Singapore, where we will be raising funds for Sentebale’s important work in southern Africa whilst enjoying a great afternoon of polo."

Together with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, Harry launched Sentebale in 2006 to help children and young people who are impacted by extreme poverty, inequality and HIV/AIDS in Lesotho.

Figueras has been a longstanding ambassador of the charity.

During the Tokyo summit, Steve James, an Australian navy veteran and Invictus Games gold medal winner, thanked Harry for saving his life.

Prince Harry, escorted by Haruhisa Handa, CEO of the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS), attends an event organized by the ISPS Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023 (AP)

The Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style sporting competition for injured and sick military personnel and veterans, was set up by the duke in 2014. It will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany, in September.

James, who was injured after falling at sea and left with chronic pain, neurological issues and mental health challenges, said: “I needed Invictus, to teach me a very different approach to sport, it’s enabling, it helps pain go away.

“I would like to thank Prince Harry for saving my life.”

Prince Harry gestures as he speaks during an event organized by the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS) Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023 (AP)

The athlete competes in wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing and wheelchair rugby. He won gold in the discus at the Invictus Games The Hague in 2022.

Harry’s appearance comes after Buckingham Palace quietly removed the “His Royal Highness” title from the royal family’s website.

The Sussexes gave up their HRH styles in 2020, when they stepped down from their roles as senior royals. However, until recently, Harry was still referred to by his HRH title in his bio on the royal family’s website.

The current version of the page does not include any HRH references and refers to Harry either as the Duke of Sussex or simply as the duke.