Prince Harry, the former royal who left his duties and relocated to California with his wife Meghan Markle, is experiencing a significant setback as numerous aviation legends have rejected invitations to attend his upcoming award ceremony.
The Duke of Sussex is set to receive the Living Legend of Aviation Award at a gala event in Beverly Hills on January 19, 2024, hosted by John Travolta.
This prestigious award, presented by a self-appointed group of 100 aviation and aerospace luminaries, aims to recognize individuals of extraordinary accomplishment in the field.
However, many aviation experts and enthusiasts have criticized the decision to honor Prince Harry, who served as a helicopter pilot in the British Army for a decade, considering it a mockery and a joke.
These critics argue that Prince Harry’s flying experience and achievements pale in comparison to past recipients of the award, including renowned figures such as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Chuck Yeager, and Amelia Earhart.
Among those who have declined to attend the award ceremony is Bob Hoover, a legendary test pilot and air show performer widely regarded as one of the greatest pilots of all time.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, he expressed his dismay at Prince Harry’s award and stated that he had no intention of wasting his time at the event.
According to Hoover, Prince Harry is not a legend in any aspect, particularly in aviation.
He believes that Prince Harry is merely a celebrity who flew a few missions in Afghanistan, which does not qualify him for legendary status.
Hoover further criticizes the award, deeming it a farce and an insult to the true legends of aviation who risked their lives and made history with their remarkable flying skills and accomplishments.
Another prominent figure, Burt Rutten, a renowned aerospace engineer and designer famous for groundbreaking aircraft like the Voyager (the first plane to circumnavigate the globe without refueling) and SpaceShipOne (the first privately funded spacecraft to reach space), expressed his disgust at Prince Harry’s award.
Rutten, speaking to the Daily Mail, voiced his lack of interest in attending the ceremony.
He described Prince Harry as a joke and a hypocrite who feigns concern for the environment while traveling around the world on private jets and residing in a mansion with a significant carbon footprint.
Rutten asserts that Prince Harry has made no significant contributions to the advancement of aviation and aerospace and does not deserve to be honored as a legend.
Instead, he believes Prince Harry is a legend of hypocrisy and mediocrity, suggesting that he should be ashamed of himself.
Patti Wagstaff, a three-time U.S. national aerobatic champion and a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, also expressed her bewilderment at Prince Harry’s award.
She stated that she had better things to do than attend the event, emphasizing that Prince Harry is a nice person but not a legend in aviation.
According to Wagstaff, Prince Harry is recognized more for his involvement in tabloids and Netflix than for his contributions to the field.
She believes that he has exploited his royal status and personal drama to attain fame and fortune, lacking the passion, vision, and understanding required to be considered a legend.
Wagstaff concludes that Prince Harry is essentially a legend of nothing and should not be honored as such.
The critics have also raised concerns about Prince Harry’s credibility and integrity as an aviation advocate, particularly in light of his and Meghan Markle’s alleged hypocrisy regarding environmental issues.
The couple, who recently signed a lucrative deal with Netflix, have been accused of preaching about climate change while frequently traveling on private planes and residing in an extravagant mansion with a substantial carbon footprint.
Prince Harry’s award coincides with a decline in his and Meghan Markle’s popularity and reputation in the U.K. and globally following their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2023, during which they made various allegations against the royal family and the British media.
Additionally, the couple has faced criticism for their controversial projects, such as Harry’s memoir “Spare,” which, despite breaking sales records, was widely mocked, and their documentary series “Harry and Meghan,” nominated for a Hollywood Critics Association TV Award for Best Streaming Non-Fiction Series.
Prince Harry has not publicly addressed the award or the criticism surrounding it.
Nevertheless, he is expected to attend the ceremony in Beverly Hills alongside Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet.