Prince Harry marked Armistice Day, which commemorates the end of World War I, by meeting wounded servicemen and women. The royal spoke at a reception for the Endeavour Fund, a project created by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Royal Foundation, to help injured veterans regain their self-belief through sport and adventure.In his element as he always is when mingling with former service personnel, the Prince was in great humour as he chatted with guests.
© Photo: PAHarry, 31, who left the Armed Forces in June, told one veteran, a double amputee, that he is "a lunatic" for attempting to row the Atlantic for a second time.
Cayle Royce lost both his legs in Afghanistan in 2012 and subsequently spent 48 days in a coma. Just 18 months later he crossed the Atlantic - a challenge he now plans to complete again with a wounded colleague.
The 29-year-old told the Daily Mail: "I met Harry when I completed the row for the first time and he recognised me and told me I was an absolute lunatic for doing it again."
"Having these rows to aim for really pushed me to work hard and it's only through the Endeavour Fund and seeing guys constantly generate interest in people like us that it's possible."
© Photo: PATrue to character, the happy royal was in great spirits as he chatted to servicemen
Speaking about the success of the Fund, the Prince, said the next phase involves previous participants like Cayle acting as mentors to other veterans. The Fund has already supported nearly 1,000 injured and sick servicemen and women in the past three years.
Harry also spoke of the struggles of those wounded in battle: "For some people, the struggle to move beyond injury or past experience continues. They suffer in silence, unwilling or unaware of which way to turn for help; for whatever reason they have become 'the hard to reach'."No longer accessible through the traditional networks, as they have gone to ground, believing that the right help isn't out there for them, or it's all just too confusing and complicated.
The royal went on: "In this next phase of the Endeavour Fund, we will be asking those who have taken part in previous endeavours to take a leading role in future challenges as project managers but more significantly to act as peer mentors, forming a support network for those veterans who have not found the impulse to come forward. "Those who have spent time in the military are proud to acknowledge that they are defined by that service. "To describe yourself as a soldier, sailor or airman means something. But when that is taken away through injury or illness, sometimes that definition of self and all that goes with it can become a negative, anchoring you to the past. "The project has also helped pay for rehabilitation, adjusting homes to accommodate those with life-changing injuries and giving former soldiers the opportunity to work towards a goal as part of a team.
