Prince Harry in surprise TV appearance without Meghan Markle as pals claim he 'wants space'

Prince Harry headed to Vancouver, one of the host cities of his next Invictus Games, where he watched Canadian football's Grey Cup and gave an interview on TV coverage

Prince Harry has made a surprise TV appearance after heading to Canada for one of the country's biggest sporting events without Meghan Markle.

The Duke of Sussex has been in Vancouver for the Grey Cup, where he gave an interview to The Sports Network before the big Canadian football final between the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. His visit to Vancouver and appearance on the TV coverage of the final came as Harry's Invictus Games for injured servicemen and women is being held in Vancouver in February 2025. It will be the first time the tournament has featured winter sports with Whistler also hosting some of the events.

During his day out at the football, Harry was seen beaming to the crowd and giving them a thumbs up before the game got underway. During his TV appearance on TSN, he was asked what he was most looking forward to about the experience of being at the Grey Cup final and said: "I'm looking forward to the game getting started - let's go!" Asked about what position he'd play if he were part of the Canadian Football League, he replied: "I think quarterback is a cool place to be."

His unexpected solo appearance in Canada comes just days after wife Meghan also was seen out without her husband, dancing the night away at a glitzy Hollywood party. She was spotted celebrating the launch of a new haircare line by the brand Highbrow Hippie, which is co-founded by her close pal and Hollywood hair colourist, Kadi Lee.

In Instagram stories shared by guests at the party, Meghan was seen posing for a picture with Kadi as well as fellow hairstylist Serge Normant, who famous styled the Duchess's hair for her wedding ceremony in 2018 as well as letting her hair down as a choir provided entertainment at the event.

The pair's separate solo appearances come as the couple appeared together for the first time in months in a video message where they talked about prioritising children's safety online, which was played at a United Nations conference in Colombia on ending violence against children.

It was the first time the pair have been seen together publicly in several months since their highly-publicised tour of Colombia back in August. Since then the pair have made a string of telling solo appearances, despite Meghan once describing her and Harry as like "salt and pepper" as they always "move together".

A source previously told the Daily Mail that 'solo Harry' is his own idea as they believe he "wants space". However, according to another source close to the couple, the reason for the solo appearance is down to a shift in their ventures. They told People: "The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals – not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track."

While another told the magazine: "[It's] as much a reflection on parenting priorities, in that one of them stays behind with the children."