Prince Harry has said that after the birth of the first child of Prince William and Kate Middleton the "pressure" to settle down is off him.
The Prince, 28, said his father the Prince of Wales was "over the moon" to have become a grandfather, and hinted that he might stay single for some time yet.
He made the comments as he spoke to Royal Marines and their families on a visit to the Devonport naval base in Plymouth.
After unveiling a plaque to open a new £30 million training centre, the Prince spoke to Tasha Reilly, 35, who was accompanying her partner Lt Col Tristan Harris, 42.
She said: "Harry was very down to earth. He said his father was over the moon to be a grandfather.
"I said 'No pressure' and he said 'No, now he's got one he'll be fine - pressure's off'."
The new base, Royal Marines Tamar, is home to 1 Assault Group Royal Marines, which oversees amphibious warfare and Royal Navy board search and training.
The Prince reviewed a parade by 1 Assault Group Royal Marines before taking the parade salute.
Joking when he first arrived about the chill in the air following the recent heatwave, he told Marines waiting to greet him: “Typical British, we complain when it’s too hot and we complain when it’s too cold.”
Wearing his Household Calvary service dress uniform with his light blue Army Air Corps beret, the Prince then chatted to members of the parade and their relatives.
One little boy, a six-year-old called Jacob, presented the Prince with a colourful drawing of them together on a Naval ship with the message “Dear Harry, You’re fantastic”.
The Prince told him: “It looks like you’re driving.”
He later joined Marie Francis, 68, to cut the ribbon on the centre’s new training block dedicated to her husband, Colour Sergeant Michael James Francis, who was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal for his bravery in the Falklands conflict.
Colour Sgt Francis, who suffers from MS, could not attend the ceremony, but the Prince spoke of the “amazing”accomplishments of the veteran, who was a coxswain on a landing craft when enemy aircraft began bombing RFA Sir Galahad. He ferried survivors from the battle zone to shore, helping more than 100 people, some seriously wounded.
Mrs Francis said: “It’s a great honour to have Prince Harry here. He would be very very proud.”
Using a knife to cut the ribbon, the Prince joked afterwards he could use it to “fend off the Taliban for next time”.
Colonel Garth Manger, Commanding Officer of 1 Assault Group Royal Marines, said: “Having Prince Harry open Royal Marines Tamar is a great honour and serves to highlight the importance of this new bespoke amphibious base.
“For the first time the Royal Navy will have all the amphibious elements together in one place ensuring that we deliver real operational capability in a cost effective and professional manner.”
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Post a Comment