PRINCE Harry’s charity boss has resigned after the duke was criticized for receiving an award honoring a war hero.
The Duke of Sussex said he was “immensely grateful” to his “friend” Dominic Reid for turning the Invictus Games Foundation into a global movement.
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The Duke, who founded the Paralympic-style sporting competition in 2014, praised their tireless efforts and spoke of the journey they shared together.
He said in a statement: “I am immensely grateful to my friend Dominic, whose dedication and leadership transformed the Invictus Games from an ambitious idea into an internationally recognized movement.
“Their tireless efforts over the past decade have supported thousands of wounded, injured and ill military personnel and veterans through sports rehabilitation, helping to showcase their unparalleled strength and contribution to society.”
He added: “Thank you, Dominic, for a decade of tireless service to the Invictus Games Foundation.
“What a journey it has been and how lucky we are to work with such an incredible community of people.
“We pray we won’t need the Games for another 10 years, but thanks to you, the team and our future CEO, we will be ready.”
In announcing his decision, Reid said it was “time for someone new to take this vital movement into its second vigorous decade.”
He said the search for his successor would be important and that he looked forward to passing on the testimony and continuing to support the foundation.
He added: “Once a member of the Invictus family, you never leave.”
Former soldier Mr Reid said: “I have delivered on the 10-year vision I set out, which includes introducing the winter sport which is close to my heart as a former biathlete.
“I continue to be the Pageantmaster of the Lord Mayor’s Show and look forward to the new and exciting projects I am developing.”
Reid described it as a “privilege to work closely” with Harry.
Prince Harry’s Army Career
Prince Harry joined RMAS in May 2005 to begin 44 weeks of Officer Cadet training, after passing the Regular Commissions Board (RCB), the qualification required to train at Sandhurst, in September 2004.
In January 2006, Clarence House announced that he would be joining the Blues and Royals, following which he was commissioned as an Army officer on 12 April of that year.
The Duke of Sussex served in the Army for ten years, completing two tours in Afghanistan.
The father of two rose to the rank of captain at the height of his military career, which began in 2004.
During his time in service he qualified as an Apache Aircraft Commander.
In his memoir Spare, he revealed that he flew six missions during his second mission, which resulted in the “taking of human lives”, of which he was neither proud nor ashamed.
His decision to leave the Army was confirmed in March 2015.
Prince Harry ended his military career as a captain in June 2015 after a secondment to the Australian Army.
General Sir Nicholas Carter, then Chief of the General Staff, said Prince Harry “achieved a lot in his 10 years as a soldier”.
“His concept, passion and motivation were fundamental to our success, particularly in focusing on mental health in sports rehabilitation,” Reid added.
This came after Harry smiled as he received the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPYS.
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The rebellious duke and his wife were applauded as they were introduced by close friend and host Serena Williams.
Harry, wearing a dark suit and tie, was seated in the Dolby Theater next to the duchess, who wore a long white dress from Staud’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection.
The pair skipped the red carpet ahead of the event following Harry’s negative reaction to receiving the prestigious award.
Even Pat Tillman’s mother, Mary, has previously criticized Duke, saying there are others “much better suited” to receive the gong.
Harry remained silent about the criticism during his speech, even directly thanking Mary for her work with the Pat Tillman Foundation — and alluding to the loss of his mother, Princess Diana.
“I would also like to thank the Tillman family, especially Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother – her advocacy of Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect,” he said.
“The bond between mother and child is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
Harry, 39, received the award for his work at Invictus Games at the star-studded party in Los Angeles.
According to ESPN, the Pat Tillman Service Award is “given to a person with a strong connection to the sport who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman.”
What happened to Pat Tillman?
ESPN reported Tillman’s tragic death in 2014 as the 10th anniversary approached.
Tillman was a safety for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals for four seasons before joining the Army.
He enlisted eight months after 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Tillman, a California native, turned down a $3.6 million contract offer when he enlisted in the Army.
“The events that led to one of the most infamous friendly fire deaths in U.S. military history were fraught with questions from the beginning,” ESPN reported.
“After an Army Humvee broke down in the mountains, Tillman’s platoon was split up by superiors so the Humvee could be removed; a local truck driver was hired as the transporter.
“But the two groups struggled to communicate as they traversed the steep terrain. And the second group was soon caught in a deafening ambush, taking fire as it maneuvered along a narrow, rocky canyon trail.”
A squad leader would misidentify an allied Afghan soldier positioned next to Tillman as an enemy, according to ESPN.
Soldiers would shoot at what Army Ranger Steven Elliott called “grim images,” ESPN reported.
The Duke received the award “in honor of his tireless work in making a positive impact on the veteran community.”
ESPN said the Invictus Games “transcended borders and impacted lives on every continent.”
Harry gave an emotional speech as he told the crowd: “The truth is, I stand here not as a recipient of the Prince Harry Pat Tillman Award, but rather as a voice on behalf of the Invictus Game Foundation,” he told the crowd.
“And the thousands of veterans and military personnel from more than 20 countries who made the Invictus Games a reality
“This award belongs to them, not me.
“It is of great importance to me to highlight these incredible allies and their families for their achievements, their spirit and their courage at every opportunity.
“Especially on nights like this in front of people like you.”
He also thanked the awards for bringing attention to Invictus’ work.
“Moments like these help us reach the people who need Invictus most,” Harry added.
“And reduce the number of more than 20 veterans a day who take their own lives in this country alone.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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