Prince Harry, Peter Westmacott, Jill Biden, Soldiers
England’s Prince Harry, on his first visit to Washington, stopped by the residence of British Ambassador Peter Westmacott yesterday afternoon.
At the outdoor reception he met Second Lady Jill Biden among the 125 or so guests. The prince, 27, wore a blue suit and a crown of red hair and looked relaxed. Tomato and cheese sandwiches were nibbled, tea was sipped.
The son of Prince Charles, he served as a second lieutenant in the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry Regiment in the Afghan War. Prince Harry chatted with groups of injured American and British soldiers.
Many of them, including double amputees, participated in last week’s Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, where wounded military members compete against one another in Olympic-style events.
Robin Lineberger, principal for Deloitte Consulting LLP, admired the “can do” attitude and said that seeing the soldiers overcome their disabilities made him think twice before “whining” about his own physical limitations. Deloitte is the games’ presenting sponsor.
Lineberger was joined by Charlie Huebner, the chief of paralympics for the U.S. Olympic Committee, Hunter Biden, the vice president’s son, and architect Leo Daly on the mansion’s back lawn, which had sprouted tables with dainty floral arrangements.
‘Enough Seats?’
“Are there enough seats?”, asked Westmacott, as he talked to British Private Scott Meenagh.
Corporal Claire Edwards of the British Army had damaged her femur in Iraq. She said Warrior Games is a competition where “we all are equal,” adding that her British teammates did enjoy giving the “Yank” team a run for their money. She got to meet the prince but said she avoided “ginger jokes.”
Following remarks by Westmacott, Jill Biden, in a yellow cardigan and floral dress, praised the prince for his work on behalf of military families and thanked the soldiers for “showing us what it looks like to triumph over adversity.”
Before leaving the reception, Prince Harry picked up a shovel and helped plant a tree on the lawn in honor of his first visit to the nation’s capital and the queen’s jubilee celebration year.
The prince went on to the Washington Ritz-Carlton, where he received the Atlantic Council’s 2012 Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award for his work on behalf of injured servicemen.
(Stephanie Green is a writer and photographer for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions expressed are her own.)
Muse highlights include James Pressley on business books and Richard Vines on food.
To contact the writer on this story: Stephanie Green in Washington at sgreen57@bloomberg.net or on Twitter @stephlgreen.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.
Prince Harry Reception
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Prince Harry, Royal Marines Captain Simon Maxwell, Second Lady Jill Biden, and Jim Benson.
Prince Harry, Royal Marines Captain Simon Maxwell, Second Lady Jill Biden, and Jim Benson. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Second Lady Jill Biden talks to Warrior Games participants.
Second Lady Jill Biden talks to Warrior Games participants. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
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British Corporal Claire Edwards, who injured her femur in Iraq, is served tea.
British Corporal Claire Edwards, who injured her femur in Iraq, is served tea. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry and Warrior Games participants.
Prince Harry and Warrior Games participants. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry talks to British and American wounded soldiers on the British ambassador's lawn.
Prince Harry talks to British and American wounded soldiers on the British ambassador's lawn. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry meets wounded soldiers who participated in last week's Warrior Games.
Prince Harry meets wounded soldiers who participated in last week's Warrior Games. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry and two aides shovel dirt to plant a tree in his honor on the lawn of the British ambassador.
Prince Harry and two aides shovel dirt to plant a tree in his honor on the lawn of the British ambassador. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
British Private Scott Neemagh laughs with British ambassador Peter Westmacott.
British Private Scott Neemagh laughs with British ambassador Peter Westmacott. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Second Lady Jill Biden, and Susie Westmacott, wife of British ambassador, Peter Westmacott.
Second Lady Jill Biden, and Susie Westmacott, wife of British ambassador, Peter Westmacott. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
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Wounded British soldier Pa Ngie laughs with British embassy social secretary Amanda Downes.
Wounded British soldier Pa Ngie laughs with British embassy social secretary Amanda Downes. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
American wounded soldier Gregory Gadson talks to British embassy naval attache Eric Fraser.
American wounded soldier Gregory Gadson talks to British embassy naval attache Eric Fraser. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
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Warrior Games British participants Declan Hall and Thomas Lawlor.
Warrior Games British participants Declan Hall and Thomas Lawlor. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Deloitte Consulting Principal Robin Lineberger and Charlie Huebner, chief of paralympics for the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Deloitte Consulting Principal Robin Lineberger and Charlie Huebner, chief of paralympics for the U.S. Olympic Committee. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Prince Harry Reception
Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
Associate director of community and military programs for U.S. Paralympics John Register, model and double amputee Aimee Mullins, and Hunter Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden.
Associate director of community and military programs for U.S. Paralympics John Register, model and double amputee Aimee Mullins, and Hunter Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden. Photographer: Stephanie Green/Bloomberg
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