Prince Harry has been presented with an award for his services to the British Army at a glitzy ceremony in Los Angeles.
Just hours after the Duke of Sussex withdrew his libel claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, he attended the Beverly Hilton Hotel where was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation for his work as a British Army veteran and pilot .
The 39-year-old completed two tours of Afghanistan as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot, having flown countless training missions in the UK, US and Australia.
He served in the military for 10 years, rising to the rank of captain, and later founded the Invictus Games – a sporting event for wounded military personnel and veterans.
Hosted by actor and aviation ambassador John Travolta, the duke was inducted alongside US Navy pilot Fred George, former world speed record holder Steve Hinton, and Jeff Bezos’ fiancee, Lauren Sanchez.
Similar to her husband – who has already been inducted – Sanchez received the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award for her skills as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during the closing ceremony of the 2023 Invictus Games
The Duchess of Sussex, who had been expected to attend the event, was not present as one of their children became unwell, the PA news agency understands.
The duke was described as a “humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate and environmentalist” on the awards website.
“He has dedicated his life to advancing causes that he is passionate about and that bring about permanent change for people and places,” a statement read.
Earlier on Friday, Prince Harry dropped a libel claim against Associated Newspapers Limited over a February 2022 article about his legal challenge against the Home Office following a decision to change his publicly funded security arrangements when visiting the UK.
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The story claimed Harry “tried to keep details of his legal battle to reinstate his police protection secret from the public”.
A ruling was scheduled to take place between May and July, until the duke’s lawyers filed a notice of discontinuance at the High Court in London.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson said the duke’s focus remains “on the safety of his family” and on his legal action against the Home Office.
