After serving two tours in Afghanistan with the British military, Prince Harry was searching for a way to help combat veterans who were injured during their service. In 2014, he came up with the idea to host a sporting event to benefit wounded veterans and their families. The prince called his brainchild The Invictus Games, a name inspired by the poem of William Ernest Henley. The name was meant to convey an "indomitable spirit" in the face of adversity, and the games' slogan, "I am the master of my fate," is a direct line from Henley's poem. The inaugural competition was held in London at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. According to the Invictus Foundation, the 2014 games brought together "over 400 competitors from 13 nations around the world."
Prince Harry believed that sport and competition would help the wounded servicemembers heal and find purpose in life after service. Recently, the prince proudly announced that the Invictus Games would be returning for a second event. The 2016 games are set to take place May 8-12, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.