Looks like we might see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave their Montecito home in January after all. Everyone was carrying on and arguing about whether Meghan should leave the house to attend the Golden Globes – she was invited, but was apparently too busy to attend – and I wasn’t looking forward to another round of “will the Sussexes go to the Oscars.” We were looking at another bleak Sussex Undercover Season. But no more – Prince Harry will be honored at the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards on January 19th. Check this out:

Prince Harry is flying into a special group. The Duke of Sussex, 39, is among the four people who will be inducted at the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards in Beverly Hills on Jan. 19, it was announced on Wednesday. The event, hosted by John Travolta, will honor “those who have made significant contributions to aviation/aerospace.”

Prince Harry served as a helicopter pilot during his military service in the British Army, flying training missions in the U.S., U.K. and Australia as well as combat missions in Afghanistan.

He was awarded his Flying Wings in 2010 following completion of the eight-month Army Pilot Course with the Army Aviation Centre, learning to fly the Firefly fixed-wing aircraft and the Squirrel helicopter and accumulating approximately 220 flying hours. Harry spent 3½ years in training and operational service with the Apache Force during his time with the Army Air Corps, winning the prize for best co-pilot gunner during training and becoming a fully operational Apache pilot in February 2012.

The Living Legends of Aviation also praised Prince Harry as the creator of the Invictus Games, the Paralympics-style sporting competition for wounded service personnel and veterans.

[From People]

I can already hear the incandescent rage-shrieking from England! While Sanhurst is playing a losing game of royal politics, Harry will be feted alongside Navy pilot Fred George, CAE CEO Marc Parent and world speed aviation record-holder Steve Hinton. While Harry’s pilot credentials are great, I would assume that Harry’s work on Invictus was what really got him this honor. God, I hope Harry’s hostage gets to leave the house on the 19th!!

PS… Some people already brought this up, but go here to read that story about how Prince William wore special airplane-embroidered slippers to the Top Gun: Maverick premiere, and William repeatedly pointed out his airplane slippers to all of the Top Gun actors. So, on one side, we have a violent, petty idiot who is obsessed with planes that go VROOM, and on the other side we have a prince who served two tours in combat, who then founded an Olympic-style event for wounded warriors. Pick your fighter.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.