Prince Harry is slated to receive a prestigious award for his military helicopter pilot service on Januar 19th, 2024 per Us Weekly.
As of January 10th, 2024, the Duke of Sussex was formally announced as an honoree of the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards. John Travolta is expected to host the ceremony per Us, and many notable names could be in attendance. Here’s what we know.
Who is being nominated besides Prince Harry?
While Prince Harry’s nomination made the news, there are several other high-level nominations. These include global writer and Navy pilot Fred George, former world speed record holder Steve Hinton, and CEO of CAE Inc. Marc Parent.
What exactly is Prince Harry’s award nomination for?
Per Us , the Duke is receiving the award for a successful decade of military service in the British Army; serving as a helicopter pilot. The military has seemingly always been impactful in Prince Harry’s life, as he launched the nonprofit Invictus Games — known to many as a keynote charity event that occurs each year; honoring wounded service members and veterans.
Prince Harry also recounted his time in the service in his memoir, Spare, releasing details of some of his most dangerous moments in the field. The Prince went on to confirm that he had been forced to take the lives of over 24 Taliban extremists between 2012 and 2013.
The internet has had a lot to say about his nomination and his quotes in the Spare memoir, with many people angry that he had been “boasting” about his experience. The Duke responded to the commenters in a sweeping verbal statement according to Us, stating that he had only mentioned the kills in his book to raise awareness of the plight of many veterans, especially those who might also be struggling with PTSD or other conditions upon their return to civilian life.
Has Prince Harry always been a celebrated military hero?
Despite his service as a pilot, his military service status has not always been stable. As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were removing their association with the royal family back in 2020, Harry was stripped of three primary military titles that he once held: Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington, Commodore-in-Chief of Small Ships and Diving, and Captain General Royal Marines.
Additionally, he was not permitted to wear his uniform to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September of 2022, as was the custom for members of the military. While this was meant to be a blow to his ego, Prince Harry remained strong; noting that the uniform was just a small part of what it truly means to be a member of the RAF in his latest 2023 Invictus Games speech.
His speech was quoted in Us, stating “I’m (Harry) here to remind you that after all of this, you don’t need to rely on a uniform…because everything you need is already within you.”
