Hair we go! Prince Harry playfully tugs on Canadian fan’s beard as he attend powerlifting event on day 2 of the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf – after he lost penalty style shoot out on Germany’s edition of Match of the Day

Prince Harry playfully tugged on a Canadian fan’s beard as he made his first appearance at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf.

After the humiliation of losing a penalty style shoot out to the German defence minister on live TV, he arrived with his bodyguard to watch the finals of a power lifting contest.

Wearing a black Invictus polo shirt Harry could be seen greeting fans and cheering on contestants in the finals of the powerlifting and the wheelchair rugby, one of the most popular sports at the games.

Moments before he was spotted looking out of the Merkur Spiel arena from between the red sliding doors of an executive box.

Harry stayed for several minutes looking down at the UK team taking part in a basketball competition before withdrawing inside the box.

He stopped to chat with Jane Stockborough and her seven-year-old son Finley after spotting her Union Jack head band and skirt. Her nails were also painted the colour of the flag.

The Prince posed with the pair and Jane’s 66-year-old mother-in-law Ruth Curtis.

They are at the games to support Jane’s husband David who was injured after his truck was blown up by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

She said he suffered physical injuries but also PTSD and is taking part in his first Invictus Games, competing in the athletics and cycling event.

Jane, from Liverpool, was full of praise for the Prince and his support for injured and disabled servicemen.

She said: ‘He asked us how long we planning to stay and was such a nice man. He said hello to Finley, just saying ‘I am Harry’. He is just a lovely, lovely man.’

Harry briefly left the wheelchair rugby but returned to watch the Italy v South Korea match where he shook hands with the mascot of the French team – a giant rooster.

While appearing on the TV show ‘Sport Studio’ she said he planned to watch as many events as possible and catch up with competitors he had previously met at the games.

After discussing the games he took part in a light-hearted penalty shoot out against Boris Pistorios.

In keeping with England football team’s dismal record against the Germans in nerve shredding penalty shoot outs he missed all six of his shots.

Meghan is expected to arrive in Dusseldorf later this week and is set to meet a group of school children

Over 2,000 schoolchildren from Dusseldorf and surrounding area have been invited to the Games.

Yesterday the Duke was all smiles as he arrived for the opening ceremony of his Invictus Games in Germany.

An excited crowed of royal fans eagerly awaited the arrival of Prince Harry at the ceremony being held in Dusseldorf Town Hall. He was joined by Stephen Keller, Mayor of Dusseldorf.

Over 500 people stood in the blazing sunshine as they stood behind barriers hoping the Prince would go on a walkabout and greet them. They shouted his name as he walked in a lightweight blue suit, white shirt and silver tie.

Representatives from the 21 nations competing in the Invictus Games waited inside the town hall for his arrival.

A small group of demonstrators shouted out anti military slogans but as soon as Harry’s car pulled into the market square in front of the town hall they were drowned out by cheers from his fans.

Prince Harry’s bodyguard, ex Secret Service agent Chris Sanchez kept a close eye on Harry as he walked the short distance from his car to the town hall.

Among the crowd was 20-year-old superfan Madeleine Durant who had driven two hours from her home in Dortmund to see Harry.

She held up a yellow banner saying ‘Harry, I came all the way to take a photo with you’. She said: ‘I am a big fan of Harry and hope that he sees the banner and comes over. I really do like him as he speaks the truth.’

About six people demonstrating against the German military’s involved in the games for disabled and wounded military vets held a demonstration in a corner of the market square.

Police outnumbered the half dozen demonstrators who have claimed the Games will be used by the military to enlist new recruits.

One of the demonstrators held a banner with the words ‘Bomber Harry’ – a reference to his time in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter gunner.

The estranged royal, who founded the sporting event for wounded and injured servicemen, also posed for a picture with volunteers and competitors just a day after he attended a private memorial for his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

Wearing a black T-shirt and looking relaxed Harry stood the middle of the group. The visit to the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf was unannounced.

The Duke of Sussex, who went on the solo whirlwind trip to the UK without his wife and children, was spotted leaving St George’s Chapel in Windsor at lunchtime on Friday.

The fifth in the line to the throne was photographed paying respects to the Queen by a tourist in a shock secret visit to the church, where the late monarch was laid to rest. 

He then flew on Friday evening to Dusseldorf in Germany for the opening ceremony of his Invictus Games. 

The Duke is booked into a £2,000 night suite with stunning views across The Rhine and will be joined later in the luxurious residence next week by his wife Meghan.

The expansive suite on the 17th floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Dusseldorf will be their base for the next eight days.

The Invictus Foundation posted a photo of the team group shot on their Twitter account. The group Harry posed with carry out assessments of the athletes and their recovery.

With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s there has been concern among organisers for those taking part in outdoor events, such as the athletics and archery.

Many of the sports for disabled and wounded military veterans will take place inside the indoor arena.

Last night he launched the sports event for wounded and disabled military veterans and attend the week long event, dropping in to cheer of competitors in events such as archery, swimming and wheelchair rugby. 

Over 500 competitors from 21 countries are taking part in the games which are sponsored by the US based Boeing firm.

Organisers predict up to 100,000 people will attend the games which will close with a speech from Prince Harry and a set of six songs from singer Rita Ora.

Teams from around the globe have all arrived in Dusseldorf and were met at the airport by the mascot of the Games, a brown bear with the name Buddy.

The UK team and friends and family flew from Birmingham on a RAF transport jet. The 59 members of the include 15 who are still serving in the military while the others are retired from service.

The team UK Captain, Lt Commander James Rogers said: ‘ Whether a veteran or still serving, we are one team heading into the Games and I am immensely proud of how much everyone has achieved in this process. It has brought with it a sense of camaraderie and excitement, as well as noticeable physical and mental health benefits.’

Wearing a white shirt and smart trousers, Harry looked sombre on Friday as he left a side entrance of St George’s Chapel as family, Britain and the world again mourned the Queen’s passing. It is not known if he went to Her Majesty’s grave in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which sits within the walls of the church.

Harry was seen by the public leaving the church where his grandparents are both buried at around Midday. An executive Range Rover was waiting for him with his bodyguard waiting to open the door. 

A number of members of the Royal Family are understood to have visited the chapel yesterday. Harry remains close to his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie but it is not yet known if they and others paid their respects together. MailOnline has asked Buckingham Palace and a spokesman for the Duke of Sussex to comment. 

The warring brothers are spending the first anniversary of their grandmother’s death in the same country – but still couldn’t be farther apart and did not meet before Harry jetted off to Germany last night.

The Duke of Sussex was at his personable best in London on Thursday as he met winners of the WellChild Awards – a charity he has been patron of for 15 years and stayed with after his acrimonious departure from the Royal Family.

Harry flew in for the engagement from his home in California, making his first appearance in the UK since June.

But despite the long flight, the duke cut a relaxed figure as he sat with the youngsters and their families during a pre-ceremony reception at The Hurlingham Club in south-west London.

It was as Harry prepared for the awards this time last year that news began filtering through that his grandmother was seriously ill before passing away hours later. The duke took a flight to Scotland but landed too late to see the Queen before she passed away.

‘As you know, I was unable to attend the awards last year as my grandmother passed away,’ he told the audience.

‘As you also probably know, she would have been the first person to insist that I still come to be with you all instead of going to her. And that’s precisely why I know, exactly one year on, she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we’re together continuing to spotlight such an incredible community.’