MEGHAN Markle is set to leave the Invictus Games in Canada today to head back home to California, sources confirmed.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has been supporting husband Prince Harry, 40, at his games for wounded and sick service personnel and veterans.
But she is now due to return home to be with son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, three.
It is expected that she will attend the events throughout the day before flying back later this evening.
Meghan had always planned to leave on her own prior to the event.
A source close to the couple said: “This was always planned. Meghan is going home to be with her children.
“Meghan left the games in Dusseldorf early after five days to go home.
“This is Prince Harry’s event and she is there to support him but this was planned.”
The pair had been together at the Games in Vancouver since Saturday but critics have been quick to accuse Meghan of interfering in the event through her show-stealing antics.
The couple had been seen cosying up to one another in recent days including a bout of PDA at the opening ceremony.
Meghan and Harry embraced for a kiss in the stands as a lip reading expert revealed the Duke gave his wife a cheeky five word instruction.
It appeared the Sussexes couldn’t keep their hands off each other and the Duchess even rested her head on the Duke’s shoulder.
She was also spotted waving blue pom-poms as a show of support and grinned from ear-to-ear while taking photographs.
On Monday, Harry and Meghan were even spotted sipping on beers.
They were pictured drinking the pints in the luxury Canadian ski resort of Whistler after spending two days in Vancouver.
It came before the couple – wrapped up warm to brave -11C temperatures – were introduced on stage by their crooner pal Michale Bublé.
Speaking to a crowd of around 1,000 who had gathered to greet them, Harry joked that he was going to get Meghan to sing.
Despite some seeing these moments as sweet support for her husband, others saw it as Meghan seeming to place herself front and centre of this year’s Games.
Meghan also took part in an “impromtu” introduction for Harry during the opening ceremony – in which she gushed over the Prince’s parenting skills.
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Sun that these “interferences” are simply not needed, given it is Harry’s precious event.
She said: “I thought it was unnecessary of Meghan to interfere with what is essentially Harry’s baby. She knows that.
“He really doesn’t need her. When Harry first launched the Invictus Games in London, he was launching it in front of his dad, his stepmum, and his brother.
“He doesn’t need Meghan there to introduce him. I thought it was really wrong and kind of detracted from what he was trying to do.”
Meghan ‘trying to prove’ how happy she is in PDA with Harry
A BODY language expert has claimed Meghan’s recent PDA with Harry was a “two-finger salute” to US President Trump.
The couple were seen kissing and sharing warm embraces at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.
It comes as Trump ruled out deporting Prince Harry over his visa legal battle in a scathing attack where he referred to Meghan as “terrible”.
Body language expert Judi James told The Sun: “Meghan’s touch rituals were especially specific, as was the way she didn’t just hold Harry’s arm but also held his hand in a clasp, too.
“Her face-touching sent a strong signal of tender affection and ownership out to the world.
“When she clasped his head in both of her hands and planted her loving kisses she signalled, ‘He’s mine and I love him’.”
She explained this rare-move from Meghan could indicate she’s both solidly “swoony-in-love” but also purposefully making a projection.
Judi continued: “There were also clues that this open adoration and emphatic family vibe could be something of a two-finger salute to Trump, after his blistering comment about Meghan.
“She might have been trying to prove how blissfully happy she and Harry are and even how lucky he is to have such a loyal and supportive wife.”
Donald Trump confirmed he would not deport Harry as part of his ongoing legal troubles in relation to a previous application for a US visa.
In a scathing comment in response to being asked if he would deport the prince, Trump told The New York Post: “I don’t want to do that.
“I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”
Meghan has not hid her aversion for Trump in the past, having dubbed him “divisive” and “misogynistic”.
The president also called Harry “whipped,” and believes the prince is “being led around by the nose”.
Turning back to Meghan and Harry’s appearance at the Invictus games, Judi explained the duchess’ body language signals had changed from previous appearances.
She added: “Her intro speech for her husband was performed in the same ‘Oh gosh’, breathlessly excited tone as her new Insta post and she giggled, squealed and rolled her eyes on stage in a ritual of newly-wed-looking coyness as she mentioned ‘My husband, the father of my very sweet and exciting children’ like a besotted bride and fan.
“There was the two-arm extended embrace and kiss on stage to make Harry look like the home-coming hero and then there was Meghan’s intense body language behaviours of love as they sat together in the audience watching the opening ceremony.”
Judi continued: “Meghan has previously focused her signals of love, support and appreciation of effort and triumph at the Invictus competitors but here her congratulatory ‘seal clapping’, her mouth-crumpled expressions of pride and her attention and attachment signals were primarily all aimed at Harry.”
At the ceremony, Judi said the couple were exhibiting “newlywed behaviours” with frequent arm-clinging and Meghan’s head often resting on Harry’s shoulder “as though she was on a date night”.
She added: “Everything that Meghan does seems to be making everything about her.
“She should have let Harry get on with it himself, instead of interfering.
“She should have said ‘actually, let me step back and you do it’. He doesn’t need it [Meghan’s help]. Harry’s a very good public speaker.”
Meghan’s attendance at the Games is understood to underscore her support for her husband and the mission of Invictus – a cause that is deeply personal to them both.
The couple famously appeared in public together for the first time at the Toronto Invictus Games in 2017.
They were lovingly pictured hand-in-hand at a wheelchair tennis event.
In 2023, Meghan and Harry again cheered on athletes among the crowds at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were sitting side-by-side clapping and also reacting to the game tensely as they watched the wheelchair basketball with Australia supporters.
While Meghan is understood to have several projects on the horizon, her family remains her top priority and she is determined to continue to stand together with Harry to support the causes they care about.
The incredible Invictus Games, which spans nine days, will see athletes compete at sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and rugby, swimming, indoor rowing as well as some new sports.
These include Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, skeleton and wheelchair curling.
British veterans and serving personnel who were injured during service departed for Canada last week for the games.
The 62 competitors – all veterans and serving personnel who sustained life-changing injuries and illnesses while serving in the UK Armed Forces – left the country from Birmingham Airport on Thursday.
The games aim to “inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who have served their country”, the Royal British Legion said.
They have previously been held in London in 2014, in Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018, The Hague in 2022 and Dusseldorf in 2023.
