Prince Harry was pictured sitting ringside on Monday talking to the general in charge of the army’s training American veterans compete at the Warrior Games.
The 38-year-old traveled to San Diego for his first public appearance since his UK phone hacking trial.
The Duke of Sussex was seen grinning and chatting as he cheered on servicemen and women taking part in events similar to his own Invictus Games.
He was at one point seen gesticulating around the arena as Gen. Gary Brito, the commanding general of the Army Training and Doctrine Command, looked on.
The royal family also spoke animatedly to families, volunteers, and staff — clearly joking with those seated around him at the Southern California event.
Harry was pictured in an in-depth discussion with Master Sergeant Michael Haley, one of 40 wounded veterans and active-duty military personnel selected to represent Team Army.
He later looked relaxed as he posed with veteran United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) gold medalists.
The Duke of Sussex sits next to General Gary Brito, the Commanding General of the Army Training and Doctrine Command. He was seen grinning and chatting as he cheered on servicemen and women who took part in events similar to his own Invictus Games.
Harry laughed and joked with people in the crowd, while General Brito listened in
Harry spoke animatedly to families and clearly joked with those seated around him at the Southern California event
Prince Harry with the gold medalist SOCOM team at Warrior Games in San Diego
Harry speaks with Master Sergeant Michael Haley, one of 40 wounded veterans and active duty members selected to represent Team Army
Teams from the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and SOCOM compete in sports such as archery, cycling, golf, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby. Harry is a self-confessed rugby fanatic.
It is the first time Harry has been seen in public since returning from London, where he testified before the High Court in his phone hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers. He was the first royal to testify in court in more than a century – returning to Montecito on Friday.
Harry’s own Invictus Games, which he set up in 2014, will take place in Düsseldorf in September.
The event offers those who have suffered illness or injury during or as a result of their service the opportunity to participate in sporting events against other countries.
But earlier this year, organizers of the charity event were urged to distance themselves from Prince Harry following his “insensitive” Taliban revelations in Spare.
Noted publicist Lynne Franks said the Duke of Sussex’s decision to share that he had killed 25 soldiers while serving in Afghanistan “made him look like a complete idiot.”
Harry’s claims, including that he viewed Taliban fighters as “chess pieces” during operations, angered the armed forces who accused the Duke of poor etiquette.
Ben McBean, the Prince’s former Royal Marine and friend, said such comments were ill-advised. Others said Harry put people in danger.
His action in San Diego came as the Department of Homeland Security has until today to respond to a legal demand to release Harry’s US visa papers, which could show he lied about his drug use.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will attend the 2022 Invictus Games in the Netherlands
Harry’s claims included seeing Taliban fighters as ‘chess pieces’ and revealing how many he had killed
The claims were made last week in the US District Court in Washington, 3,000 miles from the High Court in London, where he testified hours earlier in the lawsuit he brought against the publisher of the Daily Mirror.
The case relates to the Duke of Sussex’s US visa application in March 2020, which may have shown that he had checked ‘no’ when asked about his drug use.
Harry has admitted to using cocaine, marijuana and hallucinogens in his bestselling memoir ‘Spare’ and his Netflix TV series.
If it turns out that Harry lied on his visa forms, he could be deported from the US.
The allegations have been made by The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, which is seeking the release of the Department of Homeland Security documents under the US Freedom of Information law.
Samuel Dewey, the Heritage Foundation’s lead attorney, said the case can take months.
The next stage would be to discuss whether or not the documents themselves should be released.
Prince Harry, 38, poses for a photo with Tiktoker and flight attendant Holden Pattern, which was shared online on Friday
The Duke of Sussex, 38, outside the High Court where he testified last week
Dewey criticized the “downright frivolous anti-transparency stance” of President Joe Biden’s administration.
In court cases, the Heritage Foundation focused on two questions on the DS160 visa application form.
The first asks, “Have you ever been a drug abuser or addict?”
The second asks, “Have you ever violated a controlled substance law, or been involved in a conspiracy to violate it?”
The Heritage Foundation, one of Washington’s most influential conservative think tanks, argues that Harry’s admissions about his drug use meant he should have checked ‘yes’.
The Freedom of Information (FoI) application was submitted by Nile Gardiner, director of the foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.
The United States Department of Homeland Security initially rejected the FoI because, due to the personal nature of the information, Harry’s consent was required and he had not given it.
Immigration experts have said Harry’s confessions could lead to him being banned from entering the US by a border agent.
During last Tuesday’s hour-long hearing, Judge Carl Nicholas gave the Department of Homeland Security a week to decide whether or not to expedite the case.
A spokesperson for Harry said they would not be commenting “at this time.”