The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Harry praises Nepali resilience
200 years of co-operation between UK and tiny Himalayan country
Prince Harry has joked with old Army friends and praised the “unbreakable spirit and resilience” of the Nepali people at a ceremony to celebrate 200 years of co-operation between the UK and the tiny Himalayan country.
Hewasgivenagarland of flowers at the event at the Nepali embassy in London marking theendof celebrations for the milestone.
After unveiling photographs of the 13 Gurkha soldiers who have received the Victoria Cross, he chatted and joked with comrades he met when he was attached to the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan for three months in 2007-08.
Rifleman Vinod Budhathoki, 32, who lost both his legs in an accident in May 2010, remembered Harry as very down- toearthduringhis tourwithB Company.
Mr Budhathoki, whoalso met Harry when he competed in the Invictus Games three years ago, said: “He just never let us feel like he was from the Royal Family. We just treated him as a normal officer.
“He was so nice, and just made us work quite easy with him.”
Corporal Hari Budha Magar, 37, said Harry had joked “stop following me” after they met last week as he and the Prince of Wales presented Afghanistan operational medals to Gurkhas at Buckingham Palace.
Cpl Magar, from Kent, wholostbothhis legsabove thekneein2010, toldHarry about his attempt next year to become the first double amputee to scale Mount Everest.
He said: “Iamtraining at
“We treated him as a normal officer. He was so nice and we worked well”
the moment in Nepal and Scotland, and he said ‘All the best for it’.”
Harry also joked with Captain Lalit Bahadur Gurung, whom he trained with before they served together in Afghanistan.
The prince told him: “Good to see you again, how are you? Last time I saw you you were wearing this (his uniform) – you do have other clothes?”
The event was held to mark the signing of the Treaty of Segauli in March 1816, which established formal relations between Nepal and the UK.
Harry was presented with a traditional Nepali khukuri knife, before watching cultural performances and a knife dance by Gurkha soldiers.
Inaspeechto dignitaries, he described Nepal as a “captivating country”, adding: “It is no exaggeration to say that the people of Nepal, and the Gurkhas in particular, hold a very special place in the heart of the British publicandinmy family.” Harry travelled to Nepal last year to visit areas ravaged by the 2015 earthquake, and he lauded the way the country has dealt with the devastation.
He said: “I sawfirst-hand the unbreakable spirit and resilience of theNepalipeople as they set about it. I hope you and they can continue to drawcomfort from the fact the British people stand with you on that journey.”