Prince Harry joked about King Charles III as he attended last Friday's "21st Living Legends of Aviation" ceremony in Beverly Hills, following news on his father's scheduled surgery for an enlarged prostate.
The Duke of Sussex recalled a fond memory he had as a child with his father when quizzed by the event's host, actor John Travolta, about his first flight experience. He asked: "What can you remember about your first flight?"
Standing up from his seat, the 39-year-old royal at first jokingly replied, "It's classified," much to the delight of the audience. Then he talked about the time when he first rode the Wessex Helicopter with his father and said: "I think I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, Wessex Helicopter, and I jumped into it very excited."
Prince Harry then joked: "And then my father jumped in behind the controls, and I was terrified." Footage shared on X showed how the audience laughed and clapped at his joke.
“I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, Wessex Helicopter, and I jumped into it very excited…
— Iris 🦆 (@IrisTheeScholar) January 20, 2024
And then my father jumped in behind the controls… and I was terrified” 😭💀
Prince Harry on his first flight experience pic.twitter.com/JGzWYImzEi
He also poked fun at Travolta's time spent with Princess Diana, saying that he was only one year old when the actor danced with his mother. The "Grease" star met Princess Diana at the White House in 1985 and was famously pictured sharing a moment with her on the dance floor.
All jokes aside, the Duke of Sussex delivered an inspirational speech after he was inducted as a "Living Legend of Aviation". He began his speech with a heartfelt thank you for the "incredible honour" and congratulated his fellow honorees, adding that he is "proud to be recognised among such a dynamic and inspiring group of individuals".
He continued: "And while this award recognises the achievements of individuals, it is important to remember that aviation only advances by celebrating each and every person, from design and factory to mechanics and safety stuff. All these individuals are the true 'Living Legends of Aviation' in my book because without them, we'd never leave the ground."
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, expresses gratitude and admiration towards aviation employees in his acceptance speech at The Living Legends of Aviation Awards.#PrinceHarry #LivingLegendOfAviationAwards pic.twitter.com/TFIhxIT8TD
— 𝑺𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒙 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 (@SussexEvent) January 22, 2024
The Duke of Sussex, in his speech, also shared that flying for him "has been a transcendent experience. A close encounter with magic, an invitation to both protect freedom and to feel free". He called it "an opportunity to ground oneself, without actually being grounded". He considered his three years of flight training "to be one of life's greatest lessons" which "triggered a vast array of feelings".
A charming Prince Harry gave a beautiful, inspiring speech and tribute to the aviation community at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards. 👇🏼👇🏼🚁🏅#PrinceHarryLivingLegend pic.twitter.com/G8P1j8whcu
— ChrisBaronSmith (@ChrisBaronSmit1) January 22, 2024
Prince Harry attended the "21st Living Legends of Aviation" ceremony after Kensington Palace announced on Tuesday that Kate Middleton had an abdominal surgery and will remain at The London Clinic to recover. Then on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch is due for a "corrective procedure" this week to treat an enlarged prostate, a condition common among men.
On Monday, King Charles III was photographed looking downcast while driving his electric Audi near Sandringham, where he has been staying since the weekend as he prepares for surgery. He reportedly flew back to his Norfolk estate from Scotland with Queen Camilla last Friday, where he was also pictured looking pensive as he sat in the backseat.
Buckingham Palace announced His Majesty's prostate diagnosis because he is keen to raise awareness about his condition. Despite concerns about his health, Queen Camilla assured during a visit to the Aberdeen Art Gallery in Aberdeen, Scotland last Thursday that he is doing well.
When asked about the monarch upon her arrival, she replied: "He's fine, thank you very much. Looking forward to getting back to work."
WATCH: Queen Camilla on the King’s health before his operation next week: “He’s fine thank you. Looking forward to getting back to work”.
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) January 18, 2024
The Queen was in Aberdeen on a planned engagement 👇
King Charles will have a procedure next week. pic.twitter.com/7A9Yy9kOmR
It is understood that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were already informed of King Charles III's prostate diagnosis and of Kate Middleton's surgery. They have sent their well-wishes respectively to the monarch and to the Princess of Wales.
