Prince Harry makes light-hearted jibe as he honours brave crews who battled LA wildfires at star-studded event
PRINCE Harry made a light-hearted jibe as he honoured the brave helicopter pilots who battled the LA wildfires at a star-studded event.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, was dressed in a tuxedo for the 22nd Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards ceremony, hosted by Hollywood star John Travolta at the Beverley Hilton Hotel last night.
It comes as his uncle Prince Andrew’s sex accuser Virginia Giuffre died by suicide.
The mum-of-three, who was sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and accused the Duke of York of sexually abusing her when she was 17, is said to have died at her home in Western Australia last night.
Harry was whisked away in a car as the tragic news broke.
Speaking on the stage, he had quipped: “I feel like I’ve picked the short straw… not from being up here but someone had to host a bunch of pilots and firefighters.”
He added, while pointing in the audience, “that’s where they are”, as people laughed.
The duke had previously presented an award at the same ceremony last year. Also in attendance yesterday was actor Morgan Freeman.
The devastating infernos claimed 30 lives and forced more than 200,000 to evacuate.
They destroyed more than 18,000 homes and buildings, while over 57,000 acres of land were scorched.
Harry and wife Meghan, 43, both made a surprise appearance in Los Angeles to meet the victims of the wildfires earlier this year.
The Sussexes served food and donated toys and essential supplies to the victims outside the World Central Kitchen in Pasadena.
The ceremony this evening will also include honors for aerial firefighters and the Polaris Dawn spaceflight crew.
The Polaris Dawn crew are to bestowed with the inaugural Dr. Buzz Aldrin Space Advancement Award.
It comes after controversy was sparked last year when Harry was honoured with the Living Legends of Aviation Award.
He took his place alongside other “Legends of Aviation” including Moon landing astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong.
But retired military officer Colonel Richard Kemp said Prince Harry fell short in the military accomplishments necessary to be entitled to the award, which he slammed as an exercise in “celebrities massaging each other’s egos.”
Kemp added: “Comparing Neil Armstrong to Harry is just hilarious – they couldn’t be further apart really.”
He also pointed out Harry was only “number two in his own aircraft”.
Meanwhile, insiders at the Living Legends of Aviation said at the time how John Travolta’s “strong emotional link” to the Duke was instrumental in him receiving the award.
They said the Hollywood A-lister was one of the Duke’s “biggest supporters”.
Travolta and the Royal Family have a long history together with the actor saying previously he maintains a “strong emotional link and connection” with Harry through Diana.
Prince Harry meets heroes who battled the LA wildfires including firefighters, police & paramedics
By Alex Cooke
PRINCE Harry met firefighters, police and paramedics who battled the LA wildfires.
The Duke of Sussex chatted to emergency workers at an event in March to raise cash for charities that support the mental well- being of those involved.
Harry, 40, wore a black blazer and jeans at the One805 Rock for Responders benefit in Santa Barbara, California.
A guitar signed by performing artists and Prince Harry was auctioned and made £6,900.
The fires destroyed more than 18,000 buildings and forced thousands to flee.
Meanwhile, Harry’s wife Meghan has shared a rare photo of her daughter Lilibet to mark International Women’s Day.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, posted a snap of the three-year-old princess with her dad Harry on a boat.
She captioned the reveal on social media: “Happy International Women’s Day!
“Celebrating the strong women around us & the girls with dreams who will become women with vision.
“Also thanking those who uplift us every day.”
Other pictures shared on her Instagram page included Meghan as a baby and a smiling selfie with her mum Doria Ragland.
Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, was photographed dancing with the Grease actor in an iconic 1985 snap – a highlight of Travolta’s life.
A source told the Mirror: “John has felt that her sons have continued her legacy and drive for charity. So, Harry having this platform to celebrate his achievements means so much to him. John and Harry uniting will be another memorable night.”
Harry similarly evoked outrage when he accepted the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPYS.
One royal expert even suggested the backlash surrounding his honours would mean the Duke “will never win another award”.
The Duke 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.
In Afghanistan, he acted as a Forward Air Controller from 2007 to 2008 and as an Apache Pilot from 2012 to 2013, and was stationed on occasion at Camp Bastion.
During his time in combat, he qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander and was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2011.
Harry’s appearance tonight follows his attendance at another event just days ago.
The Duke arrived alongside his wife to the TIME100 summit in New York.
However, Meghan’s speech on stage was subject to criticism by one royal expert.
Hugo Vickers claimed the mum-of-two, who dubbed herself a “flower sprinkle fairy”, only promoted her Netflix show – despite preaching at an event for world change.
2025 LIVING LEGENDS
The new Living Legends of Aviation this year include former NASA astronaut and Navy SEAL Christopher Cassidy, veteran astronaut and air racer Robert “Hoot” Gibson, and NBC’s aviation and space correspondent, Tom Costello.
Meanwhile Ron Draper, CEO of Textron Aviation, will be given the Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award.
Burt Rutan, designer of Voyager and SpaceShipOne, will receive the Dr. Sam B. Williams Technology Award.
The Eren Ozmen Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award will go to Peter Beck, founder of launch company Rocket Lab.
Louis Pepper, former CEO of Atlantic Aviation, will receive the Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur award.
Kaye Gitibin, co-founder and CEO of Go Rentals, will be presented with the Aviation Entrepreneur Award.
Amanda “Stalin” Lee, the first female demonstration pilot to fly with the Blue Angels’ F/A-18 fighter jet team, will receive the Barron Hilton Aviation Inspiration Award.
The event will also honor four aviation figures who have “flown West:”
They include Richard Rutan, a record-setting test pilot who flew the Voyager aircraft around the world with Jeana Yeager in 1986.
Roy Morgan, who founded emergency medical transport provider Air Methods.
Clarence “Bud” Anderson, a World War II triple ace and test pilot.
And finally William “Bill” Anders, the Apollo 8 astronaut who captured the famous “Earthrise” photo.