Prince Harry, Meghan Markle make surprise appearance at Canucks game in Vancouver

Royalty was in the building, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a surprise appearance at tonight’s Canucks game in Vancouver.

Prince Harry performed the ceremonial puck drop at the NHL game that also featured the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena, just as his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II did 21 years earlier.

Prince Harry makes surprise appearance at tonight’s #Canucks game pic.twitter.com/IKowlNFZr1

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) November 21, 2023

Harry slipped but didn’t fall on the carpet, prior to being introduced to fans.

The Duke of Sussex fist-bumped Canucks captain Quinn Hughes and Sharks alternate captain Tomas Hertl before dropping the puck at centre ice. Harry dropped the puck, before clapping his hands and pretending to wipe sweat from his forehead. He then shook hands with Hertl and Hughes, before the Canucks captain gave him the puck to take as a souvenir.

Prince Harry drops the puck between Quinn Hughes and Tomas Hertl before tonight's #Canucks game pic.twitter.com/KdmPjyazw7

— Lachlan Irvine (@LachInTheCrease) November 21, 2023

Meghan did not step onto the ice, but was in attendance. The couple were later shown on the big screen, watching from a private box, as fans cheered.

Harry and Meghan watching the #Canucks game in Vancouver pic.twitter.com/0oF2S32Nuo

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) November 21, 2023

Harry and Meghan watched the game alongside a number of special guests, including: yəχʷyaχʷələq Chief Wayne Sparrow, xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band); Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, Spokesperson and General Councillor Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation); Chief Jennifer Thomas, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation); The Honourable David Eby, MLA Premier of British Columbia; The Honourable Lana Popham, M.L.A. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport of British Columbia.

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The royal couple were also joined by senior representatives from the Invictus Games Foundation and the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 team. A delegation of senior representatives from the Invictus Games Foundation are in Vancouver and Whistler this week for a pre-planned visit. The delegation will be conducting site visits and reviewing operational plans in both Vancouver and Whistler.

The Invictus Games are set to take place in Vancouver from February 8 to 16, 2025. Up to 550 wounded, injured, and sick service personnel and veterans from up to 25 countries will travel to BC to compete in both winter and indoor adaptive sporting events.

Queen Elizabeth II dropped the puck at a Canucks game on October 6, 2002, back when the arena was called General Motors Place. Ironically, the same two teams — the Canucks and Sharks — were playing that night. Markus Naslund and Mike Ricci took the faceoff, with Wayne Gretzky, Howie Meeker, Ed Jovanovski, and Cassie Campbell also participating in the pre-game ceremony.