Prince Harry has arrived in Canada for a solo trip on a big day for Prince William’s Earthshot Prize.

On Nov. 5, the Duke of Sussex, 41, stepped out to kick off a trip centered around events commemorating Remembrance Day in Toronto. Remembrance Day is the British equivalent of Veterans Day in the U.S. and is also observed annually on Nov. 11.

On Wednesday, Prince Harry met with members of Canada’s Reserve Forces. The soldiers were from historic regiments including the Queen’s Own Rifles, the Royal Regiment of Canada and personnel from one of the largest Reserve divisions of the Royal Canadian Navy.

The stop drew attention to the dual commitment of reservist personnel who balance civilian careers with military service, including deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Poland, Latvia and Ukraine.

Canada is a Commonwealth country, creating a U.K. connection. Prince Harry served in the British Army for a decade, deployed twice to Afghanistan, earned the rank of Captain and retired from service in 2015.

Prince Harry heard from Chief Warrant Officer Justin Thorn and Chief Warrant Officer Mariangeles Najlis, the Regimental Sergeant Majors of the Queen’s Own Rifles and Royal Regiment, about the unique demands and rewards of Reserve service. Both Thorn and Najlis are senior non-commissioned officers who balance military leadership with civilian careers in law enforcement and mentor newer soldiers.

The Duke of Sussex also met with Commander Paul Smith at one of the Royal Canadian Navy’s largest 24 Reserve divisions. Smith made history as the first Black Commanding Officer of a Canadian warship in 2014 and the first Black commanding officer of the unit in 2021.

Commander Smith and Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Payton gave a rundown of how the unit is training and deploying sailors for Royal Canadian Navy operations, coupled with maintaining a strategic presence in Toronto, Canada’s largest city.

Harry also saw demonstrations from the base’s dive team, deck team weapons display, operations team and band members, talking to personnel about the duality of their commitments as reservists and civilians.

Some families also participated in the visit, representing the community network of the Reservists.

Today, the base consists of 335 members from the greater Toronto area who serve part-time while juggling civilian careers, and Harry’s engagement with the units underscored the importance of their contributions to both the Canadian Armed Forces and their communities.

The Duke of Sussex was invited abroad by the True Patriot Love Foundation, a Canadian charity which works to support military personnel, veterans and their families.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, his office said that he would attend a private lunch organized by True Patriot Love to discuss international veterans’ issues.

Tonight, he is expected to attend a private fundraiser benefitting The HALO Trust, the land mine-clearing charity that his late mother, Princess Diana, also supported as she grew global attention to the issue.

Prince Harry’s office announced his Canada trip, which will continue into Nov. 6, earlier this week.

The timing overlaps with his brother Prince William’s ongoing trip to Brazil for the fifth edition of his Earthshot Prize.

The Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, 43, created the global contest in 2020 to inspire solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The year-long prize cycle concludes tonight at the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, where the winners will be unveiled.

While the estranged royal brothers are hitting the ground at the same time for causes close to their hearts, PEOPLE understands that the events Prince Harry is attending were planned nearly a year ago. The timing of the main event was established by the charity, not the Duke of Sussex, and royal communications teams were informed of the plans.

Regarding the timing of the announcement about Harry’s trip to Canada, PEOPLE understands that since the Duke of Sussex no longer holds the same level of security as working members of the royal family, the window for publicizing his engagements is narrower. Such announcements are made in accordance with guidance from his private security advisors and the event’s security team.

Over the summer, reports emerged that Prince Harry offered to share his schedule with the royal family in a move interpreted as an olive branch.

Strain remains between King Charles’ sons after Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 and moved to the U.S.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were last in Canada in February for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler, the seventh iteration of the international adaptive sports tournament Harry founded in 2014 to uplift veterans.

“It’s incredible to be back in Canada. Canada couldn’t be more appropriate to host the first Winter Games. Everyone is so excited,” the Duke of Sussex exclusively told PEOPLE then.