Prince Henry of England will be named 'Aviation Legend', like Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin

At 39 years old, Prince Henry is going to be one of the four people who are going to become Living legend of aviation this year. This was announced this Wednesday, January 10, by the organization behind the annual gala in which this distinction is awarded. The event, which will celebrate its 21st edition in Beverly Hills (Los Angeles) on January 19, will be presented by actor John Travolta, who starred in a high-profile dance with Princess Diana at a State Dinner at the White House in 1985. A ceremony that aims to honor “those who have made significant contributions to aviation and the aerospace industry,” as explained on the website of the Living Legends of Aviation Awards. Even so, it is not yet confirmed whether Henry of England will attend the ceremony or not.

“A British Army veteran and pilot with 10 years of military service, he has flown training missions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as combat missions in Afghanistan, saving the lives of allied forces and countless civilians. , and creator of the Invictus Games for wounded service members and veterans around the world,” describes the organization to the Duke of Sussex, thus arguing for the distinction. This year's three other honorees will be Fres George, “a US Navy pilot with more than 300 landings and now a world-renowned aviation writer”; Marc Parent, president and CEO of CAE (Canadian Aviation Electronics), a company that includes “training and support services for commercial and business aviation”; and Steve Hinton, an American aviator who “held a world speed record between 1979 and 1989” and who has worked as a film pilot in 100 films and television productions.

However, the election of Prince Henry as Living legend of aviationahead of people like Charles Duke, who was the youngest person to walk on the moon in 1972, at age 36, It has been considered a disproportionate decision by many, who have taken to social networks to express their outrage. “I hope that all other military pilots in the world receive the same award based on their achievements in that field,” complained one user on X after hearing the news. “This is a joke? What are the legendary things he has done? I really ask that! What the hell has he done? ”Another questioned.

The event was created in 2003 and the new living legends Those who register on the list replace previous members who have died, such as astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first human being to set foot on the lunar surface. Thus, the Duke of Sussex will join other figures such as Buzz Aldrin, also an astronaut on the Apollo 11 mission; magnates Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk; actors Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman; or Saudi Prince Sultan bin Salman, who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-51-G as a cargo specialist astronaut.

The organization of the event has defended in a statement that Henry of England “has dedicated his life to promoting causes that he is passionate about and that cause permanent change for people and places.” Furthermore, although he does not have much to do with aviation, he highlights his efforts as a “humanitarian, advocate for mental well-being and environmentalist”, mentioning his work with various charities, including Travalyst, African Parks, WellChild and the Archewell Foundation. , founded by him and his wife Meghan Markle. And he also praises the “compassion, vulnerability and unwavering honesty” that the duke has shown through his memoirs (In the shadowPlaza & Janés), published in January of last year.

Prince Henry, youngest son of King Charles III, served in the British Army for a decade during which he rose to the rank of captain. During the second tour of Afghanistan, he spent four months as an Apache military helicopter pilot, from September 2012 to January 2013, and acknowledged killing Taliban as part of his military obligations. “We shoot when we have to, when it comes to saving a life, but in reality we are more of a deterrent force than anything else,” he said then. In early 2023, 10 years later, he acknowledged in an interview with CBS that his military career “saved him” after the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, by helping him “turn the pain of him in a purpose.” He said that this position was his true “vocation” and that it helped him get out “of the spotlight of the UK press”, from which he now does not separate himself.