As Hollywood celebrates a jam-packed program of awards ceremonies to honour the best of the best, Prince Harry is set to receive an award of his own as a “Living Legend of Aviation”.

Hosted by aviation enthusiast and pilot John Travolta in a star-studded ceremony on January 19 at the Beverly Hilton’s international ballroom (same locale as the Golden Globes), the Duke of Sussex will be inducted into the Living Legends hall of fame.

As one of four recipients for the 21st running of the awards, Harry will join previous inductees including two astronauts who walked on the Moon – Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

The official Living Legends of Aviation website explains why Harry, 39, who lives in California with his wife, Meghan, and their two children after quitting the British royal family in 2020, qualifies for entry.

“A British Army veteran and pilot with 10 years military service, flying training missions in the US, UK and Australia, as well as combat missions in Afghanistan saving the lives of allied forces and countless civilians.

” … and creator of the Invictus Games for wounded veterans around the world.”

Star Trek legend William Shatner, musician Kenny G and US actor Kurt Russell will also be among the celebrity attendees at the event. Harrison Ford is a past recipient and Living Legend.

Fellow aviators Fred George, a Navy pilot and writer, Marc Parent, president and CEO of Canadian Aviation Electronics, and Steve Hinton, who held a world speed record for a decade and has worked as a pilot on more than 100 movies and TV shows, will also be inducted.

Mixed response

UK royal reporter Omid Scobie, who recently wrote a controversial book about the royals, Endgame, was among the first to break the news Harry was to become a Living Legend.

In his debut memoir, Spare, Harry goes into detail about the first 10 years of his adulthood serving in the British Army, during which he undertook two tours of duty in Afghanistan as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot.

He was awarded his Flying Wings in 2010 after finishing an eight-month army pilot course with the Army Aviation Centre, and learnt to fly the Firefly fixed-wing aircraft and the Squirrel helicopter.

“[He] 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,” wrote People.

Fans and haters of Harry and Meghan, who made a Netflix series about their escape from the UK, were quick to respond on Scobie’s thread.

“Amazing to see the United States giving a big [finger] to the UK and giving Harry his flowers. This guy served his country for 10 years and 2 tours. He deserves respect,” wrote one fan on X.

Others were less glowing: “How much did the award cost him?” and “Operating a purpose-built flying killing machine and using it to kill other humans gets you into the Living Legends of Aviat… blah blah ? Wow, who knew?”

“That’s HILARIOUS exactly what contributions has Harry made to aviation? There are military pilots who’ve done WAY more than him (like his brother) – another award bought.

“How can you compare PH with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong and others who have accomplished great deeds. Call him with true heroes in the same breath?”

“He isn’t an US vet. This is completely inappropriate. We don’t like this guy coming here grifting on our military.”

So what is the Living Legends of Aviation?

Sponsored by some of the biggest names in the aviation business, including listed company Ducomunn, which supplies aftermarket services for global aerospace, defence, military and space markets, the organisation was founded by Jerry Lips in 2003.

A passionate aviator and writer, Lips came up with the idea of acknowledging those in the industry who had made a contribution.

“I asked each of those on the initial list to nominate others, and as the list grew, it needed to be organised and categorised – aviation entrepreneurs, astronauts, aviation industry leaders, innovators, record breakers, pilots that have become celebrities and celebrities that have become pilots,” Lips wrote in 2008.

“The top 70 nominees were included on our final list of biographies to record. It was a race against the clock. We needed to do it while they were still ‘Living’.

“The Living Legends of Aviation effort was born.”

The list has grown over the years to its present number of 128.

Legends are sent a nomination form every July to select inductees and honorees for the annual ceremony.

As Legends pass on, they are replaced by new inductees.

LA law firm Aerlex says the sold-out ceremony and $US909 after-party “has become one of the most prestigious and exclusive events in the world of aviation”.

It says it raises money to support the work of the non-profit Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, an educational program that seeks to inspire the pilots of tomorrow.

At the time of publication, there has been no official word from the Sussex camp on whether Harry and Meghan will attend, but it would be unlike them to miss a golden opportunity to be part of Hollywood’s biggest party season.