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Prince Harry is receiving an honor that will probably feel very close to his heart. The Duke of Sussex will be feted on Jan. 19 for his helicopter pilot military service at the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards, hosted by John Travolta.
Harry discussed in his memoir, Spare, how proud he is of his military service and how much it meant to him “to be the best soldier” for his country. He served two challenging tours in Afghanistan as a part of the British Armed Forces, where he spent a decade of his career. While he’s had to reconcile the difficult parts of war, the Duke of Sussex noted that it was an honor to serve alongside his countrymen. Today, he see himself as “a husband and a father — first and foremost — as well as a veteran, environmentalist and mental-health advocate. I know that I want to live my life in service of others and that I want to live by example for my kids.”
His current work with the Invictus Games, an adaptive sports tournament that welcomes wounded, sick, or injured military personnel and veterans to compete on a global level, has also fueled his passion. However, this new honor only shines a glaring light on how the royal family cut off a major part of his passion. Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his honorary military titles — Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington and Commodore-in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving, Royal Naval Command — when he and Meghan Markle exited the royal family.
King Charles III then made the ultimate petty move of not allowing his youngest son to wear his uniform to his grandmother’s funeral in September 2022. It seemed like a cruel punishment for someone who so proudly served his country, but the Duke of Sussex had the last word in his passionate speech at the 2023 Invictus Games when he noted that it’s not the uniform that makes the military man or woman.
“For many of you, the uniform that you’ve been wearing this past week will give you a new story to tell. And for others, it may give your old uniform new meaning,” he proudly told the audience of athletes and spectators. “But I’m here to remind you that after all of this, you don’t need to rely on a uniform, nor should you ever feel lost without one. Why? Because everything you need is already within you.” Prince Harry’s military career served him well in his public life, and now he’s getting the honor and thanks he deserves.
Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.
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