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Naming Harry a ‘Living Legend’ is a snub to heroes who carried out feats he DIDN’T do, says Colonel Richard Kemp
Harry will be on the wall of fame alongside worldwide icons - including Moon landing astronauts
NAMING Prince Harry a "Living Legend of Aviation" is a snub to hero Army pilots who carried out feats Harry didn't do, colonel Richard Kemp has claimed.
The aviation award sparked fury among military experts who believe the Duke of Sussex doesn't deserve it.
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The Harry accepted the Living Legend of Aviation award at a ceremony hosted by John Travolta in Beverly Hills, California, on Friday.
But he made no reference to dad King Charles or Kate Middleton's health shock in his aviation hall of fame speech.
Harry has now taken his place alongside other "Legends of Aviation" including Moon landing astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong.
Retired military officer Colonel Richard Kemp said Prince Harry falls 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."
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In an exclusive video interview with the Sun, above, Colonel Kep said: "I can understand why it's happening. It's all obviously about publicity.
"He's a celebrity and a very well known person, and of course it gives publicity to this award and the people that are promoting it.
"But there are many people in Afghanistan, Iraq. Syria, possibly even fighting now in against the terrorism in Yemen.
"A large number of military pilots, helicopter and fixed wing aircraft have carried out some extraordinary feats of valour and phenomenal aviation that I'm afraid Harry didn't do."
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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.
However, Colonel Kemp claimed that the Duke was only "number two" in his helicopter in Afghanistan, saying: "He was a gunner in an Apache helicopter in Afghanistan but so were many, many other people.
"An Apache is crewed by two people - a pilot and a gunner. Harry was a gunner. He was number two in the aircraft.
"I can think of many people who did pretty extraordinary things while serving in the British and American armed forces which would be much more deserving of an award like this."
Other aerospace icons set to be inducted alongside Harry this year include US navy pilot Fred George and former world speed record holder Steve Hinton.
Col Kemp added: "If Harry had done anything comparable to some of the people who... did some incredible things I'm sure we would have heard about it.
"So I think there are many more worthy recipients of such an award from the military world than Prince Harry."
"Many military people who are aware of the feats of aviation of people in the armed forces over several recent years will be disappointed.
"But it really shows in my view, this cheapens this award.
"I'm sure it's been awarded in the past. Many with very worthy recipients who have done some incredible things.
"But when you simply give it to somebody on the basis of their celebrity status, it really does undermine the whole basis of of this award."
It is the first time Harry has been seen in public since Kate Middleton's abdominal surgery and King Charles' enlarged prostate diagnosis.
But the Duke of Sussex made no mention of his family's recent hospital visits in his acceptance speech.
It was against that backdrop that royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams urged him to reach out to the King and Princess of Wales to help bridge the "very deep rift" in the family.
Instead, Harry paid a special thanks to John Travolta, who famously danced with his mum Diana, at The White House in 1985.
"I was one years old when you danced with my mum, as you told everybody here and continue to dine out on that probably every single night. But look at us now," Harry said of the iconic moment.
"If we're not going to dance together, we'll fly together."
He went on to thank the "living legends of aviation for this incredible honour" adding that he is "proud to be recognised among such a dynamic and inspiring group of individuals".
"For me, flying has been a transcendent experience," Harry said.
"A close encounter with magic, an invitation to both protect freedom… and to feel free; and, funny enough, an opportunity to ground oneself, without actually being grounded.
"I find my flight training — which was over the course of three years— to be one of life’s greatest lessons. In this lesson, it triggered a vast array of feelings!"
Harry previously sparked outrage after boasting that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan.
His brother, William, Prince of Wales, trained with the RAF as a search and rescue pilot in 2009, before becoming an air ambulance pilot for East Anglian Air Ambulance for two years from March 2015.
Harry was stripped of his honorary military titles including The Royal Marines, RAF Honington, Royal Navy Small Ships and Diving when he left the royal family in 2020.
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Last week Harry was dealt a humiliating blow after being left out of Sandhurst’s guide to its most notable graduates.
The Duke of Sussex failed to make the cut for the military academy’s definitive book of 200 people to serve there — despite William penning the foreword.
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