Prince Harry has shared a poignant moment with a Canadian military veteran after the old soldier paid tribute to the 33-year-old for his work supporting today’s servicemen and women.
At an Invictus Games event in Toronto, 101-year-old James Norman Baker received a standing ovation after he praised the Prince’s efforts to encourage the self-confidence of competitors.
Mr Baker’s words of support were broadcast over a stadium television system to spectators during the wheelchair rugby finals and a celebrity match.
Prince Harry meets WW2 veteran James Norman Baker aged 101, after he gave the crowd a moving tribute about the impact of the #InvictusGames. pic.twitter.com/ccDkjPVp6G
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 29, 2017
Harry immediately went over to talk to the Second World War veteran, who later told the Telegraph newspaper: “I wanted to show the athletes my support and enjoy the Games. See their spirit.
“They show amazing strength of character as well as body. I think they do a wonderful job.”
During the war, Mr Baker served with the Royal Regiment of Canada as a company secretary but was deployed to France and saw action soon after D-Day, fighting his way across the continent as the war progressed.
Congratulations Denmark! Invictus Games wheelchair rugby champions ???????? pic.twitter.com/eLDX7yq9OO
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 29, 2017
He said of the Invictus Games athletes: “It’s Prince Harry’s efforts that have encouraged them to find the competitive spirit, self-confidence and join in: make them feel as if they have a place in the world when they could have lost hope.”
The Games is a Paralympics-style event for wounded and disabled servicemen and women and veterans from across the globe, founded by Harry and first staged in 2014.
Its aim is to aid in the recovery of military personnel who may have suffered serious injuries while on operations, or been hurt in a car accident or are suffering from a debilitating disease.
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