British Royal Prince Harry, who moved to California with wife Meghan Markle in 2020, was seen wearing his Army and Royal Family medals at a US soldier award ceremony on 26 April, reported theUK Mirror.
In the speech filmed outside his home in California’s Montecito, Harry—the Duke of Sussex—described Sergeant First Class Elizabeth Marksas a ‘friend’ and a ‘beacon of inspiration’.
Marks, honoured with the Military Times’ Soldier of the Year award, had joined the US Army in 2008 but suffered bilateral hip injuries during his deployment in Iraq two years later.
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In his speech, Harry said, as TM quoted, “During his heartfelt speech, Harry said: “I first met Sergeant First Class Elizabeth Marks at the Invictus Games in Orlando 2016, where I presented her with not one, but four gold medals that she’d won in swimming. To me, she epitomises the courage, resilience and determination represented across our service community. And this is not just because of her swimming abilities.”
“Ellie has courageously overcome every obstacle to cross her path. She has turned her pain into purpose and led through compassion and willpower, showing others that the impossible is indeed possible,” he added.
Meanwhile, Harry was criticised for wearing his medals while presenting the award to Marks. His medals included an Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan presented in 2008 after his service in Helmand Province, his Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, his Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and his Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, according to the report.
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Offended with Prince Harry’s move, critics and netizens slammed him for choosing to wear the medals.
What netizens said:
Commenting on Harry’s decision, a person wrote on Reddit, as quoted by The Mirror, “Out of everyone in the world they chose Harry?!”
Another commented, “We didn’t have an American Veteran who could do this?” To this, a person replied, “He has a connection to her as she was a part of the Invictus Games.”
One person added, as reported by TM, “I remember her from the Invictus Games in 2016! Very special that he presented the award to her after all these years.”
Someone even branded the video as ’embarrassing’ and the medals ‘ridiculous’. He wrote on X, “The participation medals are a sad cry for ‘looook at meeeeeeeee’.”
There were some who even defended Harry. One commented, “Harry is wearing his participation medals. 3 of them are to mark the late Queen’s jubilees, and one is for being in the Army.”
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Reports arrived on 26 April that Harry is considering his trip to England for the Invictus Games celebration, citing legal setbacks and health issues for King Charles and Kate Middleton.
Harry has been facing ire of the British Royals following he stepped down as a senior Royal. Apart from this, his number of TV appearances and documentaries criticising other Royals didn’t go in his favour.
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Published: 27 Apr 2024, 09:02 PM IST
