JJ Chalmers says people would be 'surprised' by Prince Harry for one reason

War veteran and TV star JJ Chalmers has opened up about his close bond with Prince Harry, revealing the origins of their friendship.

Chalmers, 37, recounted how he first encountered the Duke of Sussex "at the side of a swimming pool" at Lympstone Commando Training Centre. This meeting occurred while Chalmers was preparing for the Royal Marine rehabilitation triathlon, following severe injuries from a bomb explosion in Afghanistan in 2011.

Their camaraderie blossomed as Harry, moved by the triathlon, went on to establish the Invictus Games, providing a "platform" for injured military personnel to showcase their journey of recovery. On the PRsonal podcast, Chalmers reflected on the swift progression from their initial meeting to the launch of the inaugural Invictus Games at London's Olympic Park just eight months later.

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He shared: "I met him at the side of a swimming pool at Lympstone, that's the commando training centre where we all went through training to become Royal Marines. We had this thing called the Royal Marines rehabilitation triathlon, which is like an adapted triathlon for Marines and what not.

"That was in 2014 and it was maybe six months before the first Invictus Games, it might have just got a name at that point. It took about eight months between 'we're going to do this' and walking out at the Olympic Park at a ridiculously huge sporting event."

JJ Chalmers, the 2014 Invictus Games gold medallist in recumbent cycling, has spoken warmly about his friendship with Prince Harry, describing him as a "normal person" despite the Royal spotlight. Recalling their times at events together, JJ mentioned how easy it was to