The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, gifted a Ghanaian World War II veteran a special coin to mark his 100th birthday on Saturday. Per PEOPLE, the gift from Prince Harry came as the United Kingdom marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day this week.
In a May 7 post on X, Private Joseph Hammond said he was honored to welcome Prince Harry’s Invictus Games team “just ahead of my birthday this Saturday!”
“I was honoured to receive the Invictus Medal Coin from #PrinceHarry and gifted him a copy of my memoir in recognition of his unwavering commitment to veterans’ welfare,” he added.
Hammond fought together with the British army in Myanmar (then Burma) during the Second World War. The Ghanaian veteran worked as a mechanic while serving in the Asian nation.
Prince Harry and Hammond initially met during a 2019 event that the royal family hosted to commemorate British Commonwealth veterans.
“This man, especially, Prince Harry, I glued myself to him because he is also a soldier, he’s been to Afghanistan, and we spoke about the military, my battalion,” Hammond said at the time. “We exchanged ideas. It was wonderful.”
During the 2020 Pandemic, Hammond also made the news after he raised funds for frontline workers by undertaking a 14-mile walk. Prince Harry later sent him a letter of commendation, CNN reported.
“Even at ’95 years young’ I imagine it was not an easy task,” the Duke of Sussex wrote at the time. “However, given the service and selflessness you have demonstrated throughout your life, it does not surprise me that you would take on a challenge such as this – and that you wanted to walk even more miles. As you said yourself, it is amazing!”
Prince Harry in the letter also reflected on their 2019 meeting and said it was “an honor and a pleasure” to see him. “It was an honour and a pleasure to meet you at the Field of Remembrance in London last year, and Meghan and I send you our warmest wishes,” he wrote.