Prince Harry is making sure that his Dutch skills are up to par before this year's Invictus Games in The Netherlands.
The Duke of Sussex had a virtual meeting with members of The Netherlands team, and in the footage shared on Twitter, he enlisted their help with his Dutch. In the clip, Harry said, "One more time guys, please. You know I need to get this right, and I really want to get it right as well. So, how do I say, 'Good afternoon. You've done a great job,' in Dutch?"
In response, all four players responded with the same phrase, but they were a bit out of sync. Meanwhile, Harry looked utterly confused as he stared back at the screen. After a short pause, one player repeated the phrase clearly, and then the duke repeated the words carefully, nailing it after his first try.
Prince Harry proceeded to ask if was anything else he needed to know. And Fenna Geugjes, a basketball player, replied by asking Harry if he could say "stroopwafel" (a round, thin waffle cookie that's popular in The Netherlands). Without hesitation, Harry correctly pronounced the word, adding that he's a big fan of the snack—and his pronunciation fortunately earned him two thumbs up from Geugjes.
Next up was a more difficult word: "Scheveningen," which refers to a district of The Hague, where the Invictus Games will be held. And this time, it took Harry a few attempts before he nailed it. He asked the team, "Do you think I'm ready?" After getting a unanimous yes, he said in Dutch, "Thank you, see you soon in The Hague."
Right before he signed off, however, he grabbed an orange hat, which happens to be the national color of The Netherlands. He also put on matching sunglasses and removed his sweater to reveal a full orange outfit, much to the delight of the team. Towards the end, as the players applauded, the duke stood up and said, "Let's go! We're ready!"
After a two-year hiatus, the international sports competition will return on April 16 and end on April 22. And in 2023, the games will kick off in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Sounds like this year's games will be an event to remember.
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