PRINCE Harry went without military uniform as he presented war heroes with medals in New York tonight.
The Duke of Sussex, 37, was barred from donning his uniform for the gala onboard a warship.
Instead, he dressed in a suit as he awarded five forces personnel during the Salute to Freedom event.
Palace protocol allows him to pin his four medals on his jacket, and he also wore a Remembrance poppy.
The duke was accompanied by Meghan for the evening.
The mum-of-two, who pinned her hair back, wore a stunning red dress and huge diamond earrings for the gala.
As the pair shook hands with servicemen and women, Harry could be seen putting a protective hand on his wife’s back.
He chatted with each of the dignitaries in turn.
As he learned in to speak to one attendee, Meghan touched his arm and smiled before taking his hand.
A reporter asked if she was “proud” of Harry – and she quickly replied: “I’m always proud of him.”
As the couple moved inside, another member of the press pack asked Harry: “How’s your grandmother?”
The royal, who had turned to answer another question about his trip to New York, smiled and nodded before following Meghan into the venue.
Harry served in the Army for a decade, completing two tours of Afghanistan and rising to the rank of captain.
However, he was stripped of his honorary titles when he and wife Meghan stepped back from the Royal Family last year.
The couple now live in an £11million mansion in exclusive Montecito, LA, with children Archie and Lilibet.
The duke was reportedly deeply upset to lose his titles, in particular the rank of Captain General of the Royal Marines. His grandfather previously held the role.
He attended tonight’s gala to honour those who have served in the US forces.
It comes as:
- Meghan Markle’s ‘credibility’ questioned in final stages of court battle
- And there are seven claims that lawyers say may threaten her case
- But she told interviewers she’s “standing up for what’s right”
- It also emerged that she and Harry give employees five MONTHS off a year
- She also addressed reports that she cold-called Republican senators to lobby them over parental leave in the US
Rocker and humanitarian Jon Bon Jovi also received the 2021 Intrepid Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.
The organisation focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness through affordable housing and shelter, including permanent supportive housing for veterans.
Jon Bon Jovi recorded a charity single, Unbroken, for Harry’s Invictus Games Foundation early in 2020.
Susan Marenoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid Museum, said: “We are extremely proud to bestow the inaugural Intrepid Valour Awards to five incredible individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and persevered through extraordinary circumstances.
“It is a core tenet of our institution to be there for our service members and veterans, who are always there for all of us.
“One of the ways we fulfil this commitment is by offering meaningful programmes that help veterans reintegrate into civilian life and build connection and community, including ones that specifically address mental health.
“We are so grateful to Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex for honouring and amplifying the stories of these heroes and helping to raise awareness for mental health support for our men and women in uniform.”
HARRY’S TITLES UPSET
The Sussexes are currently facing a busy week.
On Tuesday, Harry spoke at a tech convention – and claimed he warned Twitter CEO of the US Capitol riots before they happened.
During an interview, he said he’d told Jack Dorsey the social media site was “allowing a coup to be staged”.
Just one day after his prediction, Donald Trump supporters stormed the building – leaving five people dead.
He also said the term ‘Megxit’ is “misogynistic”.
“Maybe people know this and maybe they don’t, but the term Megxit was or is a misogynistic term, and it was created by a troll, amplified by royal correspondents, and it grew and grew and grew into mainstream media,” he said.
Meanwhile, Meghan is currently in the final throes of a three-year court battle with Mail on Sunday publisher Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL).
Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
It comes after the newspaper published extracts of a five-page private letter she’d written to her dad begging him not to speak to the media about her.
Meghan won her battle at the High Court in February – but the publisher appealed.
And a series of bombshell details have since emerged that the Mail’s lawyers have claimed could overturn her victory.
The duchess today apologised to the court for not telling a judge about emails showing her attempts to influence a biography about her and Harry.
Emails were released by the Court of Appeal showing how she and Harry had heavily briefed their press spokesman Jason Knauf before he met writers Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand two years ago.
Mr Knauf also revealed email exchanges over a letter Meghan wrote to estranged father Thomas, 77, after her wedding.
He claimed Meghan said she would refer to him as “daddy” because it would “pull at the heartstrings” if leaked.
The Duchess of Sussex, 40, has always vehemently denied helping the authors of the controversial Finding Freedom biography
But Mr Knauf’s 23-page statement to the court revealed the Sussexes had told him what to say to the authors.
The appeal continues.
