Prince Harry is set be inducted into the ‘Living Legends of Aviation’ for his work as a British Army veteran and pilot, but critics of the Royal have branded the move as a “pathetic publicity stunt”.
The Duke of Sussex will attend the glitzy awards ceremony hosted by actor John Travolta in Beverly Hills, California on January 19.
Speaking to host Mark Dolan on GB News, royal commentator, Angela Levin said called the honour for the estranged royal, “ridiculous”.
Ms Levin added: “A former member who is quite high up in the navy has said it is a pathetic publicity stunt and I think that’s quite right.”
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Reacting further to the decision, Ms Levin fumed: “How you can compare him to people who landed on the moon and walked round the moon?”
Host, Mark Dolan agreed, responding: “An unprecedented moment in human history, yes. But you don’t think that the first man on the moon versus the short service in Afghanistan are comparable?”
Levin replied: “20 weeks he was away doing it, and he was a companion in the plane. He wasn’t there by himself, making all the decisions.”
Previous honourees include actors Morgan Freeman, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford and Angelina Jolie. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk also hold the title.
Prince Harry served as a helicopter pilot in the British Army for a decade, including two tours of Afghanistan, as well as training flights in the UK, US and Australia.
He officially left the British Army in 2015 with the rank of captain and continues to work with active service personnel and veterans and their families through the Invictus Games – which he founded.
The inaugural Invictus Games, held in September 2014, in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, brought together for the first time over 400 competitors from 13 nations around the world.
Commenting on his work with the charity, Angela Levin claimed Prince Harry had “a lot of ideas” and “his presence was very important”.
The Archewell Foundation, founded by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, says it is “categorically untrue” that any money exchanged hands concerning the ‘Living Legends of Aviation’ title.
