Prince Harry gave an interview to Robin Roberts at Good Morning America to promote the Invictus Games which will be held in Orlando in May. Harry talked a lot about how his time in the army shaped his drive to help injured soldiers, about his mother, and his love of children.
In part one of Harry’s interview with Robin Roberts, he said talked about his time in the army and how that affected him and drove him to help injured veterans and to create the Invictus Games.
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On why he joined the army and what it’s given him: “Ten years in the army was the best escape that I’ve ever had. I felt as though I was really achieving something, I felt as though I was part of a team. All I wanted to do was to prove to people that I had a certain set of skills, let’s say flying an Apache helicopter for instance, rather than just being Prince Harry. All it’s done over those ten years is given me this amazing amount of knowledge and experience where I am now perfectly positioned to be their voice and champion their cause.”
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On being forced to come back early from Afghanistan in 2007 and how what he saw on his trip home influenced his drive to help injured soldiers: “I’d done everything I could to get out there, literally being plucked out of my team, and there was an element of me thinking I’m an officer, I’m leaving my soldiers and it’s not my own decision, I was broken. And then suddenly I find myself on a plane, and while I’m sitting there I look through the curtain in the front and there’s three of our lads wrapped up in plastic, missing limbs, one of the guys clutching a little test tube of shrapnel that had been removed from his head, and he was in a coma clutching this thing. And I suddenly thought to myself, people don’t get to see this. I never, during those ten weeks, I never saw the injury part, I only heard about it. That’s how it all started for me is like these people are role models and they need to be celebrated more amongst society.”
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On how injured soldiers are an inspiration: “Some of these guys should be dead. Never before have we had so many amputees survive from such unbelievably traumatic injuries. I’m now lucky enough to watch someone who should be dead run the 100 meters. You want a definition of inspiration, that’s probably it.”
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On the mental health aspect of injured soldiers: “It’s a massive issue, the stigma surrounding it is a massive issue. I want to reemphasize the point to people that it’s not a ticking time bomb. Psychological illnesses can be fixed if sorted out early enough. We’ve got to keep the issue at the forefront of people’s minds. And you know what the simplest of things is just talking about it; makes all the difference.”
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On the continuation of the Invictus Games: “I’m not asking for it to become really boring that we constantly go on about our veterans, but I’m sorry anybody who serves our country and puts their life on the line and then can bring themselves back from an injury like that deserves everything from every single one of us.”
[My own transcription of the video below]
In the second part of his interview, Harry talked about Princess Diana and her memory and how he wants her to be proud of what he’s accomplished, being an uncle, and his love of children.
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On relating to injured soldiers: “When you look past the amputees, when you look past the burns, they’re still the same people and to be able to call them all my comrades, friends, whatever, because we all share something: we share that uniform, we share the training, we share, in some cases, Afghanistan. It’s very special.”
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On accepting that he’s Prince Harry versus Captain Wales: “I suppose it was inevitably going to have to get to the stage where I was always going to be Prince Harry despite the fact that I always wanted to be Captain Wales, treated the same in the same uniform as everybody else. I think there was that acceptance, the power that the name has.”
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On Princess Diana and carrying on her memory: “We will do everything we can to make sure that she’s never forgotten and carry on all of the special gifts as such that she had and that she portrayed while she was alive. I hope that a lot of my mother’s talents show in a lot of the work that I do. Weirdly actually she um wouldn’t be my first time to Florida, to Disney World, I ended up going there with her, it’s one of my very, very happy memories. I went on Space Mountain fourteen times. I was like this is absolutely fantastic, it’s the best thing ever. So you know there’s all sorts of places over the world where we were very lucky to have those moments with our mother and very, very happy memories.”
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The interview took place in Diana’s old apartment at Kensington Palace: “This used to be our mum’s sitting room. So she had a study through there with her desk and where she used to listen to all sort of her crazy music. It took a little bit of getting used to. Not that we ever forget, we think about her every day.”
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On what Diana would think of the life Harry, William, and Kate have established: “I hope she’s looking down with tears in her eyes being incredibly proud of what we’ve established. I’m sure she’s longing for me to have kids so she can be a grandmother again, but um you know I hope that once again that everything we do privately and officially that it makes her proud. I think losing your mother at such a young age does end up shaping your life massively, of course it does, and now I find myself trying to be there and give advice to other people who are in similar positions.”
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On the Queen: “Because of my time in the service, the utmost of respect that I have not just for her as a grandmother, you know she was my boss for ten years and I viewed her very much like that. Now it’s really nice because I can go to her for advice and bend her ear over all the experiences she’s had over the years.”
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On being an uncle: “You’ve got to have fun in life otherwise, well imagine life without fun. You’ve got to be taken seriously, but I hope that I’m a fun uncle.”
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On having children of his own: “I can’t wait for the day. So, um, yeah it would be fantastic.”
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On his love of children: “I’ve got a kid inside of me – I want to keep that. I adore kids, I enjoy everything that they bring to the party; they just say what they think. Everyone needs a hug every now and then, and it so happens that I’ve been told over and over again that I’m very good with hugs, which is great, good with giving hugs. Fantastic. Being in the Prince role you’ve got to shake hands. I would choose hugging over shaking hands most of the time… with people that I know, just before anyone gets any ideas.”
[My own transcription of the video below]
This was a great interview from Harry. You can tell he is truly passionate about helping injured soldiers, and he explained so well why the Invictus Games and having an outlet like that for injured servicepeople is so important for them. To the point that he turned me around on that. There was a comment in the fall 2014 about how the commenter didn’t see the point in the Invictus Games since there was already a Paralympic games. And I sort of agreed with that comment a bit in that I didn’t understand what exactly the Invictus Games were doing to really help the injured servicepeople. But I get it now. It’s not necessarily about winning a metal, it’s about coming back form the brink and being able to compete at that level in physical competition. It really does give them something to work toward, something to achieve, something to keep them going. And since all of the competitors have a link to the military, they can connect to each other in a way that they may not with normal Paralympic competitors. I’ll definitely be tuning in to watch the Invictus Games on ESPN in May.
PS. Yes, I will be covering Harry’s tour of Nepal, but not until later in the week.
Rhiannon please sit down before you read this
I am not going to lie – I read this at least 4x already.
Rhiannon, please marry this man and have at least four children. He’s absolutely fantastic. I love how natural he spoke about how he is serving (and I hope the people appreciate how amazing he is). We will all pitch in for your bachelorette party.
Honestly, why the hell is he still single? Girls, seriously!
Oh we are having one huge party in London, helping her decide wedding dress options, and prime seats in the Abbey. But you all have to agree with me, I will curtsey to HRH Rhiannon. KMR can do whatever it is she does best – sing or do a reading or an interview.
No need to.curtsey. I’m not big on that. We will have an awesome party. Everyone gets a spin on the dance floor with Harry.
I’ve been practicing curtsy lunges in preparation of her big day 🙂
Sorry Rhiannon it is TRADITION so you need to abide by it- not in private I agree that is a bit odd and outdated but in public.
Okay, but please know that is not where my heart is.
I have no problems dropping a curtsy to someone I respect so I will be curtsying to Rhiannon happily.
(And I have a relative who was presented at court and taught me (and my sister) the court curtsy she had to learn.)
Prince Harry is such a special young man. I can imagine sort of how hard it must have been for him to give up his military career but he certainly has found a way to continue to serve his country. Because he is willing to give interviews I feel I know him better as much as an outsider is allowed and can understand his chosen path. Thank you for this glimpse into part of the life according to Prince Harry.
So true Kat, these interviews go such a long to further these causes and Harry is the King of the interview!
He seems genuine and very passionate about the causes he follows. I feel like the Cambridges are trying to steal his thunder by making mental health their key cause. It’s great how Harry has zeroed in on one of the many different types of mental health issues in society, (ptsd) and is using his knowledge and experience in the armed forces to shed light on it. Is it just me or does it seem like he has very little to do with his niece & nephew? Such shame, he’d be a loving & doting uncle in my opinion. I hope he has his own family someday.
The uncle quote made little sense to me, almost as if it was clipped together to create something out of nothing.
The army turned Harry around considerably; he had to think of others rather than himself. In the field of war royalty matters not a jot. What does matter is being reliable and coming through for others, earning real respect based on action, not due to birth. I think in Harry’s case, he was able to start afresh in the army and discovered that he could be much, much more than ‘the spare’. I’m glad he’s been able to harness his experiences to something worthwhile. I can see his life being devoted to pstd and military causes.
Yes, I noticed he sidestepped giving anything away regarding his nephew and niece, defaulting (as do William and Kate) to vagueness. Whether it’s due to his brother’s wishes or Harry not seeing them too often, who knows.
I have a feeling that Harry doesn’t seem them very often, which is sad if it is true. I think that he would be a cool Uncle.
I agree. His body language changed a bit and it wasn’t positive, IMHO.
I thought he neatly sidestepped a few things here too; he didn’t use the WK word in the same sentence as his mother. He never revealed whether or not he even has any relationship with Bill’s kids. He just hopes he’s a fun uncle.
I guess he’s been taught that politicians skill of talking without saying anything.
For sure he has a warmth to him but you know, a royal is a royal is a royal. They have alot to lose if they don’t shine and spin in the right way. He’s certainly brought some much needed levity and lightness into the anti-WK royal sites.
I thought the quote about being an uncle was actually very revealing. His response, twice in a sentence, is to mention how serious life is and how one should be taken seriously. Then he says one should have some fun in one’s life and that’s what he brings to the table.
He’s trying to be vague, BUT considering he goes on to say kids are fun and he loves them etc, it’s quite clear that he thinks George and Charlotte are leading a serious life as opposed to a fun one.
Granted i’m as biased as Rhiannon on Harry, but I think back to the set of pictures taken by Harry’s ELF, possibly with Harry in the background (how else would ELF be allowed to photograph him). There is this impish, naughty, amused look on George’s face in all 3 pictures that has rarely been seen on George’s face in other pictures except when he is with his nanny.
It could be coincidence, and I am willing to accept that, but in my view, th reason George appears so serious when around his parents is that he leads a serious life with them.
That’s definitely something to think about. I wonder if the serious comes from conflicts. Maybe there is very little (unless with Nanny Maria) fun, playful times. Between William’s jaw and fist clenching, Kate’s self absorption and probably Carole’s letting them know in both subtle and overt ways that he is the future king and Charlotte is the spare, they may have a feeling that they should be quiet and serious around their parents. Kids learn by what they see others doing. If this is the case, they definitely need more tie with their fun loving Uncle Harry and less with the uptight, ladder climbing Midds.
I noticed the change when Harry spoke about being an uncle. I think W&K only let the Middleton’s have a constant place in the lives of PG & PC. Sadly, the children probably have no real relationship with the paternal side of the family.
The children will definitely miss out if Uncle Harry is not a more constant presenence in their lives. He would be a fun uncle and good to go to with a problem, or two, as well, I think.
I don’t think that George would be so comfortable with William, if William were not a caring dad. When William took him to the hospital when Charlotte was born and when he walked with his son on the day of Charlotte’s christening, I did see a strong bond. So, I am not going to go all out saying there is no fun at home for the kids and their dad.
I am not sure about Kate. She always appears very distant when walking with George. Even if she is holding his hand. Maybe, she is leery of the photographers. Who knows?
As for the Midds, they definitely do have more opps to see the kids.
Harry spoke very carefully, I agree, when asked about his role as an uncle.
I will say this: He has made a huge impact on many lives and the way he responds to his fellow soldiers who have been hurt does bring tears to one’s eyes. He is truly a caring and good man.
Rhiannon, congrats on all your racing acheivements. You rock, mon amie. There’s nothing you can’t do!
Take care these next few days and let your sore body recuperate.
I agree. I do see a very strong bond with George and William which I think is very sweet.
Can I be dense and ask what an ELF is?
Have googled and nothing sensible came up!
Also looked for photos of Harry and George together and there aren’t many, the two of them in a car with Kate mostly. Would love to see more of George with other family members (and Charlotte too) to see how the other royals interact with them. I know I’ve read on here that Charles doesn’t see much of them which is sad.
Edward Lane Fox is Harry’s private secretary.
My crush on the ELF ( Edward Lane Fox) knows no bounds.
I too had googled ELF even as a British ELF. Of course you can guess what I got. Too funny huh. So thank you for giving a meaning to this acronym.
Thank you!
@Herazeus
I’m sure our Rhiannon will introduce you to your ELF! 😉
He does seem very genuine and very passionate about his causes, Cat.
I am in awe of how very special a man he is. He is his mother’s son. Saying that she must be proud of him is putting it lightly. He is just so much like her. So caring and compassionate. So dedicated to his causes and to the Queen.
I think it must have been difficult for him to leave Afghanistan . His words about the severely injured soldiers brought the war home. The impact this war has made on so many people and their lo9ved ones. THe injuries they have suffered. Very hard to comprehend.
Harry’s interest in making sure these brave men and women are not forgotten. His inspiring involvement in the Invictus Games and the courage and inspiration the people who will compete represent is truly wonderful.
I thought this intervew was great. Thank you, KMR. Harry spoke well and makes us love him even more. Rhiannon, your man is calling! Hop to it, Miss! What an asset you will be to his role.
What bothers me is how Harry has to say ‘we,’ as if Harry’s accomplishments are also his brother’s when they are Harry’s and his alone.
Rock on, Harry. I found it interesting how important it is for him to be recognized for skills and the things he does, who he is as a person, versus the identity of royalty. It must be quite strange growing up like that.
Yes, He said he wanted people recognized him for his skills rather than only as a prince. This shows that he really cares about what people think, unlike petulant William and Kate.
I really liked the interview. It was a well balanced view of Harry’s interest and involvement with veterans.
I had to laugh at the splash mountain plug, really? Of all memories Harry could’ve causally mentioned during his abc interview. #Synergy
Harry is ridiculously likable, Not to mention gifted with natural leadership skills…
This was a great interview for Harry and for the BRF. It shows that at least one of the younger generation is passionate about what he does. I’m not related to him in any way, shape or form but I am very proud of him. I’m sure both of his parents are incredibly proud of him as well.
I’m very proud of him too. He has become a remarkable man. He convinced me with the Invictus Games although I wasn’t quite certain at the beginning, as was KMR. But his drive and passion really came through with this interview and one can see it in the reaction of the ABC reporters.
But my favourite part of the interview was when he talked about hugs. He’s such a softy. I so much wish for him to find the wife he deserves and make the family he longs for.
Harry really should be King. He has what it takes.
Yes, Yes, Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssss.
+1 Even Diana stated as much.
We’ll know the truth about Harry by who he marries.
Until then I’ll need to remain reserved about him although he seems very kind and approachable and has managed to nurture several fantastic causes.
Everyone was honking glory to the heavens about William for years. Now at this point we’re all dreading the ascension to the throne by Bill Middleton and his braying donkey of a wife and slithering inlaws.
All I’m saying is let’s wait and see.
I really don’t want to agree with you, but realistically I must. I think he is a better person than Will , yet I still think he is a little lazy when it suits. There is no doubt that a great wife and then a family will be the making of him, but unfortunately many admirable young ladies wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole having seen what’s happened with Kate. Let’s hope someone great does ‘take him on’ as I think he would be a great husband and father and a great asset to the BRF if he can find a wife who understands this is not a gravy train.
I think I’m almost afraid to hope for too much Birdy. You just can’t tell what might bring out the best or the worst in a person.
But in the meantime he’s the best they’ve got for sure.
We’ll know the truth about Harry by who he marries.
This is very true. I’m with you and Birdy, though am hoping Harry finds an able, goodhearted woman to marry. I really hope he does not want a Kate clone. However, as we have discussed before, the royals travel in very insular circles where entitlement is a given. I hope Harry comes across a real gem in his travels, and has the sense to grab her.
This is sadly very true. Unfortunately, the women/girls he’s dallied with haven’t exactly been the ones I see as jumping in there and working their butts off for the BRF. They seem to be more in the Kate mold (but brighter) and will probably do well the first year and then slide off (“well if she doesn’t have to work why should I” echoes in my head)
I really want Harry to find someone who he really loves and who loves him for him, not for his family or money or status. And they are very much aware of what they are walking into when they do. I think it could be quite some time before he finds someone after the disaster that is Kate. And I don’t think he’s going to find that person in his group of friends. He’s pretty much excavated that mine and hasn’t found any one.
Now watch him go public next week…lol
When he came back from Afghanistan, the second time, he’s interviews showed how much he had grown and matured.
He gave an interview at the airport where the reporters tried to trip him up, and his answers were much more measured and thoughtful and he sidestepped the little traps very well.
That’s the moment i was sold on him.
I specifically remember he was asked about being royal and being normal, and he said he recognised that there was no such thing as a normal life and his normal was entirely different from another person’s normal and it was ridiculous to try to live whatever normal was (Ps: in my mind I hoped that was was dig at William whose ‘normal’ schtick was at it’s height around this time. These days he has ‘privacy’ schtick!). Harry then said that he realised that his royal title could be used in a way that enriched everyone and that was what he was going to do.
And he did. He has lived upto the promise of that interview. He doesn’t shirk his royal duty and he doesn’t shirk his charities. Somewhere, it finally clicked for him that he has an amazing platform that he can use to affect change.
I also think it helps that, PR teams aside, he has picked a really good team for himself, and actually listens to them. ELF has been the making of Harry.
He’s born for this life. He’s got the PR savvy of Charles and the empathy of Diana.
Harry can barely be tossed under the bus anymore beccause it’s so glaringly obvious he’s the better choice and not just because he’s the only other son.
+1
Agreed.
And it makes him a threat.
I wonder if he feels the loss of his brother as a close friend because Will must have been the ultimate confidant and friend in the fishbowl they both share. Until Kate’s officially took over. I hope his tour cheers him up. Harry is a wonderful man with a lot to give and share with someone special. It’s time he finds his princess.
I’d like to think that William and Harry have kept their close relationship but some how after seeing photos of Kate inserting herself between the two of them at the Commonwealth Service, I highly doubt it.
I agree Lauri. In the beginning I was hoping she wouldn’t be that wife that came between the brothers. But now at times it seems as if she has.
I had another thought about the differences in approach of the two brothers.
All of harry’s interviews, he says how much advice he receives from father, grandfather and grandmother. Not that he simply waits for them to tell him stuff, but that he seeks them out.
William on the other hand only speaks about his father/grandparents’ work in a distance, disconnected way full of meaningless platitudes and pr talking points.
Further, the only time he has ever publicly acknowledged seeking and or taking advice was in an interview about his wedding where he asked the queen aboutbthe wedding guesttlist and his wedding outfit – the queen insisted he wear the irish guards uniform instead of his preferred choice of RAF uniform, but allowed him to reduce the wedding guestlist and fill it with his preffered guests for the most part.
William keeps talking about he enormity of the job the queen does, or the duty others have, yet he never talks about seeking council from them. He always says he is his own man and will do things his way. Never seeks advise and always does the opposite of what is advised.
If he was dojng a good job by himself, it would be ok, and we would all applaud. He is not. Infact he is doing the opposite of ok. And doesnt seem to realise it.
I laugh every time I hear William talk about the duty and dedication of the Queen because as you said there is such a disconnect here, he parrots the words without any understanding of them.
A smart man seeks the council and advise of others, the foolish man thinks he knows it all.
Herazeus for William to ask for advice from PC, HM or DoE it would require him to set aside his ego and admit he doesn’t quite know it all. This would probably cause as much damage to his psyche as admitting he is wrong in some instance.
It makes plenty of sense for Harry to seek out advice from those ahead of him. They’ve probably been in the situations, or something like it, once or more and can advise him properly.
Yeah, I think it will be a cold day in Hades before William publicly admits he asked for help.
Lisa, and therein lies the problem!!!
+1
“It’s not necessarily about winning a metal, it’s about coming back form the brink and being able to compete at that level in physical competition”, exactly what I think too, KMR. It’s because of this I respect so much Invictus Games. Harry is “THE MAN”. I always say that there weas no Prince Harry in Afghanistan. Who was there was Soldier Wales.
Oh my God! I literally have tears in my eys. He is great. I have always wondered what was all this raving about him on this bloc, but the truth is I never fallow him closely. I am impressed how eloquent he is and sensible in his answers. There are no half-truths which we constantly getting from Cambridges. He had experience in the army and he continues to be involved in the lives of wounded soldiers, he continues his Mather work in Africa. The passion and drive by a cause emanates from him so strongly. But most of all I am impressed by the maturity of his intellect. What a great guy and a person. I remember Diana calling him “old king Harry” in one of her interviews. Seeing Diana’s pictures in this interview reminded me how much I like her and what a great loss she is for Harry and William and RF.
It’s good king Harry
Ups …thank you Larissa, all this emotions got me. I am genuinely happy for Diana that she has such a good child.
Me too. He’s so much like her, very heartfelt.
I had goose bumps while reading this post KMR.
Especially with the part about Harry being on the plane after being pulled out that first time and seeing those soldiers. I’d say it was a defining point in his life and he took what he saw on board and then did something about it.
I’m really impressed by Harry.
I reacted emotionally to this as others have said. To beat a dead horse the contrast between his love of country and reverence for those who serve and Kate’s shunning of the Irish Guards shows the gulf between the Cambridges and Harry’s understanding of duty, but also his developed sense of principal and passion. Harry learned the limitations of what he could do in war because he is a prince and they wouldn’t let him. Impressively and a testament to his character, he found a way around the limitations to make a difference. He bit on mental health was interesting too. I wonder if KP realized how Harry’s interview heightens the Cambridge’s sad uninspired life.
That may have been the moment he realized how lucky he had been to be born royal. Yes, he wanted to be seen as just Captain Wales to earn his way. There is no disguising, however, that being royal gave him a leg up and that meant a level of safety.
If he was simply a dyslexic, enlisted grunt in the Army, odds are he would have been in line to be severely wounded. Getting to go to Sandringham gave him more opportunities. After being removed from his first tour, he was pulled aside and guided towards helicopters. If he hadn’t been Prince Harry, that wouldn’t have happened.
Maybe seeing what happened to the everyman soldier crystallized that in his mind, so he sees it as his duty to give back. There but for the grace of God (and my grandmother The Queen) go I.
His Mum would be so proud of him. He only had her for a little under 13 years, but her influence shines through. He’s a credit to both his parents, the Queen and our Country.
I am reading this while banged up and bruised from my last race. Let’s just say that a wall got the best of me. This is making me feel a whole lot better.
It is true, I am quite biased in regards to Harry. Very. But, I am so proud of him. Harry has changed a lot and the army brought out the man he was meant to be. I think that he has created a great legacy for himself with his support for the vets and Invictus. I agree that he needs to take the “we” out of his comments. That only shows how much he wants to include his brother in his accomplishments. The sad thing is that William wouldn’t afford him the same courtesy.
My hope for Harry is that he continues this work. This is work that he loves and can speak honestly about. I am sure that this feeds his soul as much as it does for the charities. Harry is the BRF’s best hope at this time.
Okay, I am going to get really superficial. That man is handsome. The hair, the twinkle in his eyes, his voice…To top it off, he has a great personality. No condescending looks or feigned interest. He has a zest for life.
Thank you, KMR, for a wonderful Sunday surprise. I look forward to the coverage of the Nepal visit with a paper bag close by.
Hi Rhiannon, other than the wall how did your race go? Are you enjoying a much deserved stack of pancakes afterwards?
Oh it’s more than okay to get superficial about this man…he certainly is the whole package! For me it’s really the twinkle in his eye that sets him apart, that makes me melt just a bit.
The race was challenging as it wasn’t well designed. A guy literally got stuck in mud and it took them a while to get him out. I was stuck in the same put and had to “swim” out of it. We went for lunch after and I literally fell asleep as I was eating them, mid sentence.
Yeah this man is amazing. I am sure those arms and chest make for an awesome hug. At 5’5, I would fit perfectly under his chin.
Gosh, that race sounds like a nightmare! Congratulations on finishing it in one piece!
You know I’m 5’5 too, he could have one under each arm?? 🙂
Deal! Just don’t get too comfy in there, mkay? Lol! 😉
I’m 4’9″ so I’ll snuggle right in the middle–HA!! In all seriousness, congrats on your race Rhiannon and good lordy, rest up girl! We’re gonna need you all better by May! 😉
Also, “wow” to Harry’s GMA interview. Can we say “sharp contrast” between the brothers? William speaks to the interviewer in a condescending tone (“It’s part of the job, Mark”) and Harry gives Robin Roberts one of his well-known hugs!!
I understand exactly what Harry means about the IG not just being about the medals because that’s so true regarding the transplant games!! Don’t get me wrong, it’s great winning a medal but it’s not the ‘end all, be all’ when you’re at the games. When you’re there, you’re surrounded by family. You’re with people who know what it’s like to be near death, only to be resurrected again, you with those who understand this awesome responsibility that I carry around with me each day to make sure my donor’s death wasn’t in vain. It’s for donor families to connect with others who understand the journey that they’re on and for living donors to be honored for what they’ve done while still living. I understand that completely.
I too noticed the side-swapped “fun Uncle Harry” comment he makes and I’ve got a feeling that the only uncle G & C *might* see is James.
Last, I’ve got a feeling Harry’s going to be spotted at the Magic Kingdom (and maybe Epcot, Hollywood Studios AND Animal Kingdom) in May having fun on the rides (Splash Mountain is my favorite!) and posing with his favorite Disney princess (you know he’s totally an Ariel kind of guy haha! 😉 ).
I can see why you love him. He is a 1000 times sexier than his brother. I cannot wait for the Nepal visit. Harry is going to be fantastic.
I think he is sexy and so irresistible in part because of his empathy and action. He uses what he learned from growing up royal to relate to and help others. How sexy is that?
Yes he is more charismatic, his smiles are genuine and not forced. I find that he radiates : when he visits, all the people around seems happy to see him.
He is passionate, he understands the duty while remaining approachable….
Yes Rhiannon, the twinkle in his eye is everything, and I saw it when I met him here in Brazil. As I said before Harry speaks through his eyes and smiles with his soul.
Thanks for such a great post KMR !!! As I’ve said before a day without a bit of Harry is like a day without sunshine!!
I will admit to having a tear or two in my eyes while watching his interview with Robin Roberts, especially when talking about seeing the wounded soldiers on the plane. As the mother, daughter and sister of former soldiers, I can’t begin to tell how important this kind support is to those with visible injuries and those without visible injuries. I especially loved his statement about those suffering from mental health issues “I want to reemphasize the point to people that it’s not a ticking time bomb”, because so often lately, it seems to me, that we hear about someone committing horrible crimes while suffering from PTSD or other mental health issues and I think people are starting to misunderstand and think that everyone with PTSD or mental health issues will commit some horrible crime at some point in their lives. This line of thinking needs to stop and stop now. Rant over 🙂
Is it just me or did everyone have a moment thinking about being on the receiving end of one of Harry’s hugs??? Just for a moment I could almost feel his strong arms around me, crushing me into his broad chest…excuse me a moment…okay where was I? yeah, I should probably quit this line of thought 🙂 Rhiannon, you are a lucky woman!!
Anyhow, good work Harry and thanks for all you do!
My mom worked as a patient advocate at the VA back home. I have wonderful memories of the vets and was in awe of their courage and sacrifice.
I was always told that they don’t need pity, they need respect and a chance to live a safe, comfortable and rewarding life when they came back. Harry’s doing just that.
You are right. The vets deserve our respect, admiration and gratitude. You can really see/understand the “Band of Brothers” when Harry discusses fellow soldiers.
And just as a true honest Brit let me say to so many who have said – here and elsewhere – why do you put up with this royal family costing millions, supporting lazy layabouts? It’s for moments like these, it’s for every generations Harry.
I know many feel Diana was a problem , but hey Harry is Diana’s son and as a mother of sons I know how proud she will be up on her little cloud.
Birdy. As an American we have traditions to honor the history and spirit of this country. I have always viewed the British monarchy in much the same way. It’s rich history and contributions to the world incorporated into modern history is something special. The members of the monarchy who understand and honor tradition while also adding their own flavor and contributions can be inspiring.
Ironically, I think Kate and William had something like that in mind when they started talking about making the monarchy more modern. They just lack the will, intelligence, advisors, you name the excuse, to follow through. So they do nothing.
I wish Harry could succeed the throne after POW. I would burst with pride having him as my King. History is filled with second sons who would have made better kings than their elder brothers so I guess we have what we have but it doesn’t stop me wishing he was ‘the One’.
Actually, British history is litterred with second (and lower down) sons who went on to be better or memorable kings compared to the heirs. About 60% of our kings and queens were not heirs.
In that regard, precedent is there.
Ditto precedent of removing kings who don’t perform according to our wishes. In the last 300yrs, we’ve removed 3 kings. My wish is to remove william and hisnkids and give harry a go.
And no financial compensation beyond his personal funds. THEN he will really understand what ‘normal’ life is about.
Vive la Révolution. The pictures from Nepal are just beautiful. People just respond to Harry and he really does enagage with them in return and appears on top of his brief. The comparisons with the Nepal tour with the India tour in few weeks will be very interesting. Thinking about legacy……POW has The Princes Trust. Harry has Invictus. William……a wife who could pass The Knowledge around the west end shops?
+1. Excellent idea.
If William was told he would have to live off of his inheritance (or what’s purportedly left of it) I think he would have a stroke. Actually, Kate’s clothing budget should drop drastically because she wouldn’t have to constantly buy thousand pound coat/dresses and $650 suede pumps. I imagine her shopping trips would be greatly curtailed.
I’d be willing to go door to door to get signatures on a petition for just that. I’ll even pay all of my own expenses. Let’s make this happen!!!
What should I wear to the wedding, do you have a theme, I am so Happy for you;)
I am a long-term reader, but this post was too amazing not to comment. Watching the videos reminded me so much of his mother. I was six when Diana married Prince Charles and like a lot of little girls, grew up wanting to be just like her. You can feel his passion for veterans and he seems to truly understand how much of a difference he can make in the lives of others. It was a great interview and I hope it shows the world what an incredible person he has become.
On a side note, I am rooting for you, Rhiannon. I grew up in Orlando so I hope it’s the city where you capture Harry’s heart. He truly deserves to find happiness and have a family of his own.
I really believe his mother would be proud of the man he has become.
I have tears in my eyes after watching this. You can see how driven he is and how much the soldiers mean to him. He is truly a special one.
He’s genuine. Everything he’s working on and working for comes from his heart and it’s 100% focused on the task at hand.
There is no side stepping and trying to throw off the media like Waity and Bill. I bet this interview will really annoy them.
It really is too bad he cannot become King. I feel he gets what it is to be a modern royal. Now more than ever Royal Families have to be selfless, giving, and truly about the people. We live in a time where people no longer want monarchies or to support them. I guarantee if he was the heir, there wouldn’t be so many comments on sites like the DM wanting to abolish the monarchy.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if William was the one who brought it all down.
Harry sure has Diana’s charm 🙂 It would be awesome if HE could be king after Charles.
I’m glad the military helped him by giving him some guidance, perspective and even a mission/purpose in life. I wish his fellow army comrades could speak (just to corroborate what I picture was Harry in the military) about those times.
I wish all the success and recognition to the IG. I’m sure Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden will join him and I look forward to that.
I truly wish Harry could find a nice veteran to give his heart to. I just feel that the military would be an awesome bond for them and that due to her time of service she could understand the duty associated with marrying into the BRF. I see how the military service and training has also helped my friends in terms responsibility, work-ethic, dedication and *confidence* that I wish his future bride to have.
So either Harry is an amazing human being or a great (Oscar worthy) actor.
Night and day between him and William… I also have the feeling Bill always appears so bitter and annoyed given his fading looks, especially next to Harry – I always thought William was the attractive one of the two and boy has that changed. Well, up until his college years. Guess all that “normal living” took a toll on his looks 😛
So my husband isn’t averse to planning our Miami trip to visit family (my grandmother turns 95 in July! she’s amazing!) in May, so perhaps we can swing up to go to the Invictus Games after. Rhiannon, let’s have dinner! Haha.
Thank you KMR.
Great, great, and great. You, your post and Harry and his work.
Harry is always so knowledge about his patronages and causes, the work that they do and the why. I don’t for a second believe such in-depth knowledge comes from reading a single brief the day off or that the passion that he speaks with is turn on for the cameras and none existent the rest of the time to the point that he’s have no interest in the causes mid-week enough to work privately. For all the Twitter (which he hates for this reason) posts that let us know, I reckon he’s authentic enough in his care, commitment to do behind the scenes work.