Prince Harry has said service ‘is what happens in the quiet’ when ‘people aren’t looking’ in a speech for a celebrity fundraiser for veterans, one week after being accused of staging a photoshoot on Remembrance Sunday.
The Duke of Sussex said the decade he spent in the Army changed him for the better and made him who he is today, as he joined the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow and comedian Jon Stewart for the Stand Up for Heroes virtual event.
Harry, 36, discussed being ‘born into a life of duty’ and how he remained ‘committed to a life of service’.
‘For the whole world, this year has been and continues to be incredibly hard,’ he said.
‘But we’ve also seen incredible resilience and purpose. As far as I see it, service is what happens in the quiet and in the chaos. It’s what happens when people aren’t looking and it’s about how we take care of each other every single day.’
The duke’s public appearance follows criticism of his private visit with Meghan Markle to Los Angeles National Cemetery on Remembrance Sunday.
The Sussexes were accused of staging a publicity stunt after they were photographed there by Lee Morgan, who specialises in fashion and celebrity portraits.
Those close to Harry, who was reportedly left saddened when he was denied his wish for a wreath to be left on his behalf at the Cenotaph, said he was not the sort of person to make a stunt out of a Remembrance event, particularly having known fellow service personnel who died.
In his speech, Harry said: ‘(My military) experience changed my life forever and for the better.
‘It changed how I viewed sacrifice and service. I was born into a life of duty, but it was during my decade in the army that I committed to a life of service.’
He said he would always be part of the military team, and paid tribute to those he met while serving.
‘My experience in the military made me who I am today – and it also connected me with some of the strongest, funniest and most memorable people I’ve ever met,’ he added.
‘Once we join this team, we are always part of this team. Once we’ve served, we are always serving, and proudly so.’
Harry and Meghan quit royal duties nearly nine months ago to pursue a life of personal and financial freedom in the US.
This meant his honorary military titles – Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, and Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands’ Small Ships and Diving – were put on hold following ‘Megxit’.
Harry is not allowed to take any particular role using those titles at present, but they have not yet been handed to other members of the royal family.
His role will be examined in March as part of the monarchy’s 12-month review of the Sussexes’ departure arrangements.
Harry, who set up the Invictus Games competition for injured servicemen and women in 2014, added: ‘I wanted to honour the legacy of these men and women who have given up so much – from time with family to birthdays missed and even births missed.
‘Some lost their limbs and others lost their lives. It’s for that reason that I created the Invictus Games – to give injured servicemen and women a platform to excel and reaffirm their values of resilience, of community and strength, which are inherent in each and every one of us.’
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