Prince Harry says sport literally saved his life at school

Prince Harry has been recognised on one of sport's most prestigious lists, honoured for a cause that he has devoted more than a decade of his life to championing.

A place among the greats

The Duke of Sussex, 41, was named to TIME's 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026, joining a distinguished group that includes LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and figure skater Alysa Liu.

Harry's inclusion came in recognition of his work with the Invictus Games, the adaptive sports competition open to armed forces personnel and veterans from across the world. He told the publication that the Games had allowed him to combine his deep desire to support veterans with a lifelong passion for sport.

Sport as a lifeline

"Sport held me together," said Prince Harry, who spent his childhood years playing rugby, football, cricket, and polo.

"I was one of those kids at school who did not enjoy classroom work. If it wasn't for the sports field and the amount of sports that were on offer, there's no way I would have stayed in school," he added.

The moment that changed everything

The seed for the Invictus Games was planted in 2013 when Harry attended the Warrior Games, a sports competition hosted by the United States Olympic Committee for wounded service members and veterans. The experience proved transformative for the Duke, who had himself served in the British Army for a decade, completing two tours of duty in Afghanistan.

"I thought, 'Wow, look at the power of sport, look at how it is literally changing lives in front of my very eyes,'" he told TIME. "It was so clear to me. Let's invite as many countries as possible to make it international, because clearly more countries need to benefit from this."

From London to the world

The inaugural Invictus Games were held in London in 2014. The event has since travelled to Orlando (2016), Toronto (2017), Sydney (2018), The Hague (delayed from 2020 to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic), Düsseldorf (2023), and most recently Vancouver-Whistler (2025).

Birmingham 2027 on the horizon

The next edition of the Games is set for Birmingham in 2027, where approximately 550 competitors from around 25 countries are expected to take part. Prince Harry is scheduled to visit the United Kingdom next month to mark the one-year countdown to the event.

Despite the considerable growth the Games have achieved, Harry remains eager to push further — potentially extending the competition beyond its current one-week format.

Saving lives, not just changing them

"One thing that we really celebrate at Invictus is not only do we change lives, but we save lives as well," he told TIME. "That's not based on anything other than the amount of individuals that come up to me and say, 'If it wasn't for Invictus, I would have killed myself.'"

"To be amongst that community, those are the moments that I cherish," he added. "You wish that every society, every community, had this same vibe about it."

A decade on and still growing

Reflecting on the ten-year milestone, Harry previously told PEOPLE: "It's amazing how after 10 years that we're still doing this, that we still need to do this. We will continue the Games for as long as it's needed, and the need is increasing, rather than reducing. So the fact that there will be a full cycle back in 2027, back to the U.K. is a place that I never thought we would be."