During a September trip to New York City for Climate Week, Prince Harry made a secret detour to a Lower East Side tattoo shop without any explanation. On Tuesday, the Invictus Games shared a video that revealed why Harry made the stop: a rendezvous with country star Jelly Roll. In a comedic video filmed at East Side Ink, Harry asks the singer, born Jason DeFord, to perform at the 2025 Invictus Games closing ceremony next February in Vancouver.
DeFord agrees—only if he can give Harry his first tattoo. “Trust me, man, you don’t want anyone doing this but me,” he says, tattoo machine in hand. “Commitment, Prince,” he adds as Harry winces. In the end, the prince winds up with the Invictus Games “I AM” logo on his neck—and Jelly Roll’s signature.
“How many people can say they tatted a Prince y’all?” DeFord joked on his Instagram account. "I am so thrilled to be performing at Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Closing Ceremonies on February 16, 2025!"
The 2025 Games, the seventh edition of the sporting event for wounded servicemembers and veterans will take place from February 8 to 16 at sites across Vancouver and Whistler. Winter sports will be added to the roster of adaptive sports for the first time, and in February, Harry and Meghan Markle traveled to the area for a “One Year to Go” training camp, where they visited participants on the ski slopes.
On Sunday, Harry made an appearance on the sidelines of the Canadian Football League Gray Cup championship to promote the games for the audience of Canada’s TSN. “It’s a sporting platform used for the rehabilitation and support for wounded soldiers—both serving and veterans,” the prince said. “It’s really an opportunity for the individuals themselves and their families to heal and rehabilitate through sport.”
English (US) ·