LONDON – Prince Harry is home, but what will his first engagement be? Tumbling through the clouds, it seems.
The Duke of Sussex, who moved back to the U.K. last week with Duchess Meghan and their two children, is gearing up for a charity skydive this month, though the location and timing of the royal plunge is yet to be revealed.
A sweet reason lies behind Harry's daring descent.
While visiting Canada in November, Harry met with some of the country's oldest veterans at Sunnybrook Hospital's veterans center in Toronto. Among them was 102-year-old World War II Veteran, Ed Marshall.
The pair "quickly bonded over their shared experience of military service," according to The Sunnybrook Foundation. Harry served in the British military for ten years,
completing two tours of duty in Afghanistan, while Marshall trained as a paratrooper during the Second World War.
Harry was stunned and apparently rather impressed when Marshall told him he had completed a fundraising skydive to mark his 100th birthday in July 2024, raising more than $100,000 for Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.
"Together, they devised a plan for another jump," the foundation said.
USA TODAY has reached out to Prince Harry's spokesperson for comment.
Prince Harry charity parachute jump comes amid return to UK
The duke called Marshall two weeks ago to confirm he would be jumping in September, CTV News reported. Though Marshall will not be able to join Harry on the daring stunt. His doctor has advised him to keep his feet firmly on Canadian soil.
"My doctor got wind of this (skydiving plan) and sent me for all these tests, turns out I've only got 50 per cent (function) of my heart," Marshall told CTV.
Instead, Marshall's grandson Bailey will be taking the plunge in his honor.
"My grandson, he's never jumped before, but he has the right attitude about this, and I hope he enjoys it," Marshall said, adding that he considered Harry to be "a nice guy."
Harry will take to the skies alongside other veterans, the foundation said. Money raised will support Sunnybrook and the True Patriot Love Foundation, organizations dedicated to serving Canada’s military and veteran communities.
The duke's big jump coincides with his big move back to Britain after six years spent living in California. The Sussex couple stunned both sides of Atlantic with their decision to return home to Harry's birth country. Their two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, will start at a British school this month.
Their return to Britain comes amid bubbling tensions within the royal family, stemming from Harry and Meghan's decision to step back from their roles as senior royals in 2020 and relocate.
The ongoing rift has exposed deep cracks across several relationships within the family, though Harry's homecoming has raised hopes for healing among the monarchy's senior royals.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince Harry's first public engagement in UK might just be a skydive
