Prince Harry has caused fury among critics after it was announced he will be honoured at the 21st annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards. ...
Prince Harry has caused fury among critics after it was announced he will be honoured at the 21st annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards.
The Duke of Sussex will be honoured at the event in Los Angeles for his contribution to aviation and aerospace while working as a British Army veteran and pilot. Harry completed two tours of Afghanistan as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter.
He opened up about his military service in his debut memoir Spare and revealed he killed 25 people while on his second tour of duty in Afghanistan. Some commentators are angry that Harry has been included in the Living Legends of Aviation Awards, with one suggesting he was "number two" in his own aircraft.
Retired military officer Colonel Richard Kemp said: "He was a gunner in an Apache helicopter in Afghanistan but so were many, many other people. 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."
Speaking to The Sun, he suggested Harry is being honoured "because of who he is - not what he did". He added: "An Apache is crewed by two people - a pilot and a gunner. Harry was a gunner. He was number two in the aircraft."
Political commentator Aaron Bastani also criticised the decision to honour the Duke of Sussex. He told GB News that it's a "bit of a stretch" to label Harry a "Living Legend of Aviation".
Lord Alan West, the former head of the Royal Navy, slammed the decision as "pathetic". He told the Daily Mail: "He is not a living legend of aviation. To suggest he is is pathetic. It makes the whole thing seem a bit of a nonsense," before adding: "I find it extraordinary he has been picked."
The Living Legends of Aviation Awards will be held on January 19 in Beverly Hills. They will be hosted by Hollywood actor and qualified pilot John Travolta. Harry will take his place alongside other aviation and aerospace 'legends' including Buzz Aldrin, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman.
Other aerospace icons set to be inducted alongside Harry this year include US Navy pilot Fred George and former world speed record holder Steve Hinton. A statement on the event's website said: "Prince Harry is a humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate and environmentalist. He has dedicated his life to advancing causes that he is passionate about and that bring about permanent change for people and places."
