Lauren Sanchez gushed over Prince Harry after meeting him at an awards ceremony – and said he was part of a group ‘who shaped the history and future of flight.’
Sanchez, 54, lavished praise on the royal in an Instagram post following the Living Legends of Aviation Gala, in a photo where she and Harry appeared alongside John Travolta and Sanchez’s finance Jeff Bezos.
Sanchez, a successful helicopter pilot, wrote: ‘Honored to have been in the presence of aviation legends who have shaped the history and future of flight,’
Harry previously served as a helicopter pilot in the British army in Afghanistan.
Despite not being behind the controls of an aircraft for almost a decade, Harry was presented with an award that declared him to be a ‘living legend of aviation’ by movie star and jumbo jet pilot John Travolta.
While she praised Harry in the caption, she also may have also been referring to her fiancée, Jeff Bezos, who is worth $174 billion and who owns a space exploration firm called Blue Origin.
Sánchez’s praising of the prince came after she was also among those named for having ‘significantly impacted’ both the history and future of flight at the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation awards ceremony.
Prince Harry, left, is seen next to John Travolta, Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos. ‘Honored to have been in the presence of aviation legends who have shaped the history and future of flight’, she wrote
Lauren Sánchez runs her own helicopter aerial filming business, while John Travolta has been a pilot for many years and has a runway attached to his home
Sánchez, who runs an aerial filming company, was seen walking the red carpet alone before joining billionaire Bezos backstage where she posted a black-and-white photo featuring herself with her beau, Bezos, John Travolta and the Duke of Sussex all smiling during the awards show.
‘What a beautiful evening last night. So grateful’, she later wrote.
Bezos was inducted into the organization in 2019 after founding his Blue Origin spacecraft company, which sends its occupants 65 miles straight up to the edge of space.
Sánchez, herself, was hailed as a ‘living legend’ for her work as a helicopter pilot and awarded the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award at the ceremony and aviation businesswoman.
She owns the aviation filming company Black Ops Aviation, which she founded in 2016.
Lauren Sanchez, 54, was also being hailed as a living legend for her work as a helicopter pilot
Lauren Sanchez, who founded an aerial filming company in 2016, was also celebrated on Friday night
Lauren Sánchez is seen at the controls of one of her helicopters
Lauren Sánchez runs an aviation filming company and is known to pilot her own aircraft
Sanchez is seen at the controls of one of her choppers
‘The Living Legends of Aviation are pleased to announce that Lauren Sánchez will receive the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award at the 21st Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards,’ the institution wrote last month announcing the accolade.
‘From Emmy Award-winning journalist to helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman, Lauren Sánchez’s achievements in aviation and unwavering commitment to advancing women in the industry inspire us all.’
Trailed by her own TV crew, Sánchez told how she was ‘thrilled’ to receive the award noting how it was ‘only time’ before another woman was inducted into the organization.
Currently, there are fewer than 10 female members.
‘I just can’t believe it!!!’ Sánchez said. ‘What a huge honor it is to be recognized by the Living Legends of Aviation. Flying is my passion and this is truly such an honor. You also have no idea how happy you made my dad who has been a pilot since I was a little girl.’
As for the prince, questions as to whether the duke deserved to be called a ‘living legend of aviation’ had been raised before the bash.
Harry’s award citation described him as a ‘humanitarian, military veteran, mental wellness advocate and environmentalist,’ adding: ‘He has dedicated his life to causes he is passionate about and that bring about permanent change.’
Travolta, himself a pilot, was reportedly the driving force behind Harry receiving the award after feeling an affinity for the prince after dancing with Diana – though the prince’s nomination angered some military pilots who felt it was unearned.
e Jeff Bezos among those now recognized for their contribution to aviation
Hollywood superstar John Travolta waves from the cockpit window of his Boeing 707
Travolta has a deep passion for flying and is known for owning and piloting his own aircraft
John Travolta’s home is seen together with his Boeing 707 aircraft parked alongside
Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin, at New Shepard’s West Texas launch facility before the rocket’s maiden voyage
Mark Bezos, right, tosses ping pong balls with crewmate Oliver Daemen, left, during the July 2021, space flight about Blue Origin’s first crewed mission
Jeff Bezos is among those now recognized for their contribution to aviation
The billionaire reached the edge of space after taking off on Blue Origin’s first manned flight
Billionaire businessman Jeff Bezos is launched with three crew members aboard a New Shepard rocket on the world’s first unpiloted suborbital flight from Blue Origin’s Launch Site 1 near Van Horn, Texas in July 2021
On stage, Travolta asked him of his time flying for the Army: ‘What can you remember about your first flight?’
Harry quipped back: ‘It’s classified.’
The Duke served in the military for 10years – rising to the rank of captain, and completing two tours of Afghanistan as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot.
Lord Alan West, a former head of the Royal Navy, had poured cold water on the accolade.
‘He is not a living legend of aviation. To suggest he is, is pathetic. It makes the whole thing seem a bit of a nonsense.’
Colonel Richard Kemp, a retired British Army officer, said the ceremony was more about ‘celebrities massaging each other’s egos.’
Upon accepting his award, Harry spoke of his pride in his military career
Harry is seen in December 2012 working as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan
Harry is pictured in March 2011 standing in front of an Apache Helicopter a few days after the royal passed the half-decade milestone to become a Captain in the British Army
The prince is seen arriving for Friday’s event in Los Angeles
The 39-year-old attended without his wife, Meghan Markle, for the awards ceremony. She was reportedly at home looking after their children, one of whom had taken unwell
Upon accepting his award, Harry spoke of his pride in his military career.
‘For me, flying has been a transcendent experience. A close encounter with magic, an invitation to both protect freedom… and to feel free; and, funny enough, an opportunity to ground oneself, without actually being grounded,’ Harry said.
He spoke movingly of his former career, saying: ‘I had respect for the Apache in a hover and was in awe of it flying at night… so many moments as a pilot where you feel like you’re walking on air.
‘And throughout each flight during my military career, the one constant was always trust. Trust in the aircraft, trust in my fellow comrades, trust in my many mentors and, above all else, trust in myself. Flying taught me the power of discipline, the power of patience and, beyond that, the power of trusting your gut.’
His words saw him receive a standing ovation from the audience.