The Duke of Sussex and Walking with the Wounded

[polyesco]

The Dolphins are in London which means Dan Marino is throwing the football with Prince Harry.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQPMEfIWcAAhfkG.jpg
Prince Harry played catch with Dan Marino while quoting 'Ace Ventura'
Prince Harry played catch with Dan Marino while quoting ‘Ace Ventura’ | For The Win

[Osipi]

Beautifully well written post Marg and I most definitely agree with you that returning service personnel that have laid their lives on the line deserve much better services returning to civilian life and there's no better person to call attention to this and actively work with these British wounded warriors than Harry. Another statement that Harry has made recently struck me as a beacon of just how Harry feels about the causes he backs. "There's nothing worse than being involved with something you don't have any passion about."

Sadly, it is the same story here in the United States. The Veterans Administration hospitals have been under fire here recently for the poor services they provide (or don't provide) for returning vets and all vets in general. I have a friend who is a disabled Vietnam vet and depends on the VA hospital for medical care and he's often remarked how poor the care is even to the fact that being diagnosed as diabetic somehow escaped notice for a few years.

We have a similar program here in the States called The Wounded Warrior project that depends a lot on civilian donations and hopefully with Harry's incentive starting up the Invictus games, more and more attention will be drawn to the plight these heroes have faced returning to civilian life will gain momentum and the powers that be in governments will stand up and take notice that they deserve far better than what they are being given. With the circus already starting for the 2016 presidential election here, one thing that is a positive is that I've noticed that the treatment of veterans is very much an issue for candidate's platforms.

[roseroyal]

Originally Posted by polyesco

more pictures
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQKXXYzW8AAYRdI.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQKXCxwWwAAoM2r.jpg
https://41.media.tumblr.com/a16875f9...bz5io2_500.jpg
https://40.media.tumblr.com/181b33e1...bz5io1_500.jpg
https://40.media.tumblr.com/e6efe260...bz5io4_500.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQKEyx-WwAA9gmN.jpg
http://40.media.tumblr.com/e2c5b11d7...rwxoo8_500.jpg

Originally Posted by Dman

Prince Harry says Princess Diana inspires his behind the scenes charity work-
Prince Harry says Princess Diana inspires his behind the scenes charity work - Mirror Online

First- Love these pictures. Harry and kids is magic. Of course- no surprise there because Harry is a big kid himself. Brings a big grin to my face.

Second-- Love this. I personally value their private work more- because if a Royal is willing to work behind the scenes- tells me a lot. I always learn a lot more about them when I read about a private visit.
If I was Royal I'd do a lot of private visits- because it's more real. And if I was meeting a Royal- unless I had been invited to a specific event where there was a royal in attendance, I would ask that we meet privately if possible. Much less anxiety!
Love the photos of Diana -especially the one with the homeless which I hadn't seen before. How cool is that? A Princess - the future Queen sharing a Coke with the homeless. If I didn't know she was Diana, I wouldn't know there was anything special. So cool!

[MARG]

It's a very fine line between who get's the "feel good" factor, the subject or the royal and what part private visits play in the scheme of things.

Let's be clear here, Harry publically supports 'Walking with the Wounded'. he has talked in demi-interviews and also takes the time to join them on short hops bringing with him the added media publicity just by being who he is. He knows how to use the media that hounds him to best effect.

Harry's volunteering in the MOD's London District's Personnel Recovery Unit which helps with the care of wounded, injured and sick soldiers is something else entirely. While volunteering, he regularly meets wounded servicemen and women at Headley Court with little or no public notice.

Two separate and strategically opposite approaches to the same cause.

I would hesitate to attribute his style to his mother. She too was "into" hospitals, making private visits, even watching operations from the gallery and when spotted was very humble and self-deprecating about what she was doing. What we didn't know then was that her lover was the surgeon which put a whole different spin on things.

My misgivings about Harry's approach is that a simple statement such he made on this occasion;

Originally Posted by Prince Harry

"There's always a point in your life when, yes, you want to do the fun things for yourself but if I can carry on doing fun things which is this kind of stuff but the spotlight comes into a cause that we believe in then that's what it’s all about."

There is a danger that his work in this sphere can be dismissed as him having shallow "fun". The inference being that he only "does" fun and when it ceases to be "fun" he will cease to be as involved as he is at present.

The media like their royals to be worthy and not having fun, and everything else behind the scenes is hard work so they are going to be investigating just how "hard he works" behind the scenes. Investigations that could cause disruptions.

Basically, Harry needs a damned good PR person to verse him in his interactions with the media so he'll be saying "its a privilege" rather than "I'm having fun". One is selfless, the other, selfish.

That is not to say I don't support his actions in this arena, I do passionately, I ust don't want either Prince Harry or 'Walking with the Wounded' to be dismissed as Harry's playtime.

[Curryong]

I think Harry still has his beard! According to a BBC report he delighted villagers at Little Walsingham in Norfolk by moving through the village with his companions from the Walking with the Wounded team.

[MichelleQ2]

Harry meets Walking with the Wounded at Buckingham Palace as they finish their 1000 mile trek. so many great stories from this

Prince Harry embraces wounded Afghanistan veteran who gave him a dog tag to remember her friend killed by the Taliban* | Daily Mail Online

[AdmirerUS]

Originally Posted by MichelleQ2

Harry meets Walking with the Wounded at Buckingham Palace as they finish their 1000 mile trek. so many great stories from this

Prince Harry embraces wounded Afghanistan veteran who gave him a dog tag to remember her friend killed by the Taliban* | Daily Mail Online

And if you scroll down the article, you realize he also spoke to the men who finished the walk.

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by MichelleQ2

Harry meets Walking with the Wounded at Buckingham Palace as they finish their 1000 mile trek. so many great stories from this

Prince Harry embraces wounded Afghanistan veteran who gave him a dog tag to remember her friend killed by the Taliban* | Daily Mail Online

Kudos to Rebecca English for this very well written and in depth article (and some amazing pictures to go with it) that explores not only what WWTW is and what it does but also gave a heart wrenching insight into the long road to recovery and the great courage and stamina of Kirstie Ennis as she tells of just how important this walk was to do even knowing the great pain it would cause her to make this trek.

Another thing that can be put to rest now of why Harry finds his working with wounded service personnel so important. He tells us himself in the article:

"Returning to the UK after my first deployment, I shared the flight home with three critically injured British soldiers, all in induced comas, and the body of a Danish soldier, killed in action.

It hit me then that this flight was one of many, carrying home men and women whose lives would be changed forever, and some who had made the ultimate sacrifice.

From that moment, I knew I had a responsibility to help all veterans, who had made huge personal sacrifices for their countries, to lead healthy and dignified lives after service."

[Curryong]

Kirstie Ennis is an extremely brave and inspirational human being, as are her companions on this walk. I am sure Harry was moved by their stories and will keep in touch with all of them.

[Dman]

Video:
Prince Harry greeted wounded ex-servicemen as they finished an "epic" 1,000-mile trek of Britain as they reached the finish line at Buckingham Palace. The arduous journey was undertaken by six veterans - Stewart Hill, Matt Fisher, Alec Robotham, Scott Ransley, Kirstie Ennis and Andrew Bement - in 72 days. All have physical or cognitive injuries sustained in the line of duty-
Home - ITNSource News

[Muhler]

Well done, Harry.

This is what he is so good at, with his very well developed people-skills.
And being a veteran himself, he avoids the suspicion of this just being for show.

[cat]

Oh God! And the world is pink!!!!!!!!!!!!! I admire the girl for her strength and determination after the tragedy suffered, now say that Harry would date her? In a world of appearances as our , a prince to marry a disabled woman? Harry is a great guy, but he is a man like any other, and he didn't care about appearance, would not have dated just beautiful blonde women, tall, with blue eyes and perfect bodies. Sorry but I am sincere!!

[Osipi]

I'm sure Harry appreciates a beautiful woman as much as the next guy but I'm kind of inclined to believe that Harry is looking for something more than just eye candy. That's what put into my mind that they might mesh well together. They both have a huge capacity for caring and compassion for others and would make such an excellent team working with returning service personnel. But, as was stated previously, she already has a boyfriend.

[cat]

I think the only thing Harry can feel for her is compassion. Unfortunately that's how men think about women like her. Her boyfriend must be a spectacular case, but should not be very attractive and also not prince lol

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by cat

I think the only thing Harry can feel for her is compassion. Unfortunately that's how men think about women like her. Her boyfriend must be a spectacular case, but should not be very attractive and also not prince lol

You're kidding right? If not, I really must be married to a very spectacular man (who is also tall, red headed and handsome) and have spectacular sons and spectacular male friends because none of them see my handicaps or my disabilities but see me for the person I am.

One of the very last things I would ever say against Harry is that he's a shallow person. Harry is showing his true colors as he goes about doing what he feels passionate about. Its all about coming into his own and finding his own niche in the world and really making a difference (and on a global scale to boot).

But enough about Harry and his relationships. There's a whole other thread for fixing him up.

[cat]

It is the reality I see. My friend works with disabled people and she said that most women are alone and report the difficulty of having a boyfriend.
Now such Kristie became a saint to be canonized because she doesn't have a leg and the other women surrounding Harry are terrible girls, because they are rich, beautiful and normal ... just dreamless harry would have something with her. Life is not a fairy tale.

[Roslyn]

Originally Posted by cat

It is the reality I see. My friend works with disabled people and she said that most women are alone and report the difficulty of having a boyfriend.
Now such Kristie became a saint to be canonized because she doesn't have a leg and the other women surrounding Harry are terrible girls, because they are rich, beautiful and normal ... just dreamless harry would have something with her. Life is not a fairy tale.

Wow! Your posts have shocked me. I certainly hope that Harry is not as shallow as you suggest he is simply because he's a man.

Kirstie is beautiful and normal. She's suffered serious physical injuries during her service as a marine and as well as the operations she's already had to have, her left leg will have to be amputated. How does that make her less beautiful or less normal? Want to tell any of these veterans they are not "normal"? Sexy Wounded War Veterans Show They’re Confident Enough To Be Hot Models | Bored Panda

Kirstie is intelligent and brave and has a proven ability to perform a difficult job and to tolerate great pain and work hard and rise above adversity. She is better than normal. Harry would be lucky to have a woman like her walking by his side.

[michelle0187]

Originally Posted by cat

I think the only thing Harry can feel for her is compassion. Unfortunately that's how men think about women like her. Her boyfriend must be a spectacular case, but should not be very attractive and also not prince lol

From what I've read about those that were there, she was very emotional giving him the dog tag and was consoling her. He was as warm towards everyone else there but this was different because she had given him something of great importance. She even laid flowers at the pow memorial. She is just amazing character from what I have seen.

I'm not keen on the constant interpretation that a lot of made of that moment. it's lovely to acknowledge a great woman like herself for what she has done, being in excruciating pain for months and so on. But some have turned her accomplishments and qualities into a weapon to tear down and express how beneath every other woman he is associated with. In order to create the ultimate pr gold mine to protect harry from being thrown under the bus by whoever eg. Cambridges, dm, aristo socialite friends.

Obviously harry is happy with his life as a charitable and compassionate prince so she would look like a great candidate. But that's just one aspect of his life that brings him happiness. There are other aspects in both kirstie and his life that are private and separate from doing good deeds. She has a life of her own with friends, family and bf that can support and relate to her far more than harry could ever. There are other things that he finds great pleasure in doing with the people in his life. I don't see why people would want to disregard those other important elements in both their lives to fulfill some dream that certain royals never did for the public. I'm not surprised that she has been deleting shipping comments out of respect for the special man in her life.

[cat]

Originally Posted by Roslyn

Wow! Your posts have shocked me. I certainly hope that Harry is not as shallow as you suggest he is simply because he's a man.

Kirstie is beautiful and normal. She's suffered serious physical injuries during her service as a marine and as well as the operations she's already had to have, her left leg will have to be amputated. How does that make her less beautiful or less normal? Want to tell any of these veterans they are not "normal"? Sexy Wounded War Veterans Show They’re Confident Enough To Be Hot Models | Bored Panda

Kirstie is intelligent and brave and has a proven ability to perform a difficult job and to tolerate great pain and work hard and rise above adversity. She is better than normal. Harry would be lucky to have a woman like her walking by his side.

First, she is not pretty, has a median beauty and a huge scar face, second, I'm sorry if reality shock you, but things are so. People are prejudiced. And yes, men are superficial in relation to appearance, and Harry is no different because it's prince, the proof is that he never was related to an ugly woman. Okay, she overcame her serious problem, but it was not the only person in the world to achieve this and not really deserve to be deified.
And I cant say that a person with amputated leg is normal. Normal is the human being has two legs and two arms. Not that node have to have prejudice or diminish the person, but we can not be hypocrites.

[cat]

[QUOTE=michelle0187;1835426]From what I've read about those that were there, she was very emotional giving him the dog tag and was consoling her. He was as warm towards everyone else there but this was different because she had given him something of great importance. She even laid flowers at the pow memorial. She is just amazing character from what I have seen.

Very emotional, so she didn't hesitate to throw in his arms
For me it was all armed to let Harry affected, including the dog tag. Sorry, but sincerity is one of my qualities