Prince Harry‘s upcoming induction into the Living Legend of Aviation Hall of Fame hasn’t gone well with some British military veterans.
According to a disgruntled vet, the Duke of Sussex is undeserving of the honor despite having done two tours in Afghanistan.
Harry is expected to be inducted on January 19 at an event in Beverly Hills alongside Fred George, Steve Hinton, and Mark Parent.
‘Harry Is Not A Living Legend Of Aviation,’ Claims Former Navy Chief
A former Royal Navy chief, Lord Alan West, has called out Prince Harry after a recent announcement that he would be inducted into the Living Legend of Aviation Hall of Fame for his service to his country.
The Duke of Sussex served in the British Army for ten years, rising to the rank of captain before retiring in 2015. During his time there, he did two tours in Afghanistan, where he served as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot fighting the Taliban insurgents.
But according to West, Harry’s military résumé is not good enough to have landed him the honor ahead of other nominees such as Apache gunship pilot-turned-astronaut Tim Peake.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, the former head of the Royal Navy expressed his disappointment with the organizers as he remarked that Harry isn’t a “living legend of aviation” and that it was “pathetic” that he was seen as such.
He added, “It makes the whole thing seem a bit of a nonsense if they’re willing to pick someone like Prince Harry…..There are lots of people who deserve to be called this, but not Prince Harry. I find it extraordinary he has been picked.”
Prince Harry Is ‘Just Trying To Get Publicity’
Doubling down on his stance, West claimed that the Invictus Games founder’s career in the army was just basic and that he was picked for the accolade for publicity reasons.
“[Harry] didn’t carry off any great exciting feat of amazing flying skill while flying for the Army,” West said. “They’re just trying to get publicity. They know it will cause a stir. I find the whole thing really rather pathetic.”
West is not the sole individual who harbored reservations about the recognition bestowed upon Harry.
“I can think of many people who did pretty extraordinary things while serving in the British and American armed forces, which would be much more deserving of an award like this,” said retired British Army Colonel Richard Kemp in an interview with The Sun.
Kemp also claimed that Harry was only chosen to get the accolade “because of who he is and not what he did.”
When Would Prince Harry Receive The Honor?
Harry is expected to be inducted at the upcoming 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards event, scheduled to take place in Beverly Hills on January 19. The event, hosted by John Travolta, will see the duke inducted alongside Fred George, Steve Hinton, and Mark Parent.
According to the event website, the awards celebrate “remarkable people of extraordinary accomplishment in aviation,” of which Harry is seen as one.
They also praised the duke for being a “humanitarian, mental wellness advocate, and environmentalist,” with credits for his work with African Parks, Travalyst, WellChild, and The Archewell Foundation.
Additionally, they highlighted his “compassion, vulnerability, and unflinching honesty” in the controversial memoir “Spare,” which debuted in January 2023.
Prince Harry Once Said The Military ‘Saved’ Him
In the past, Harry has spoken with much love about his time in the military, spotlighting how it “saved” his life after losing his mother, Princess Diana, in a tragic accident. He also claimed that it helped him turn the “pain into purpose” and that being a military man was his “calling” in life.
“My military career saved me in many regards. It got me out of the spotlight from the UK press. I was able to focus on a purpose larger than myself – to be wearing the same uniform as everybody else, to feel normal for the first time in my life, and accomplish some of the biggest challenges that I ever had,” Harry once said, per the Daily Mail.
He also shared that in the military, there wasn’t a “pass for being a prince,” and he had to put in as much work and time as everyone else. He jokingly added, “There’s no prince autopilot button you can press and just wiff – takes you away.”