“It’s been fantastic I’ve been so well looked after,” Prince Harry told The Weekly today as he finished his tour of duty as a soldier on Aussie soil. “It probably feels as if I’ve been slightly locked away – I know it does for me,” he said. “But I’ve been moving from one barracks to the other and they’ve kept me incredibly busy.
“I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity I’ve had to work with these guys and share hopefully some of my knowledge from back home and learn a hell of a lot from their experiences as well. We don’t train enough together and it’s been great fun. The soliders I’ve met here are very similar to our guys.
“It seemed quite an odd feeling to come over here to just work and not interact at all. It would have been nice to get out and have a beer,” said Harry who today was speaking to The Weekly after greeting members of the public at Sydney Opera House and then at Macquarie University Clinic.
Since his own deployment to Afghanistan serving as an Apache helicopter pilot in 2012 and 2013, Prince Harry has become something of a trailblazer for injured servicemen and will continue to work with the British army in this field when he formally leaves the military in a month’s time. It is pursuing this interest that he visited the osseointegration clinic at Macquarie Univeristy Hospital today.
Prince Harry pioneered the Invictus Games in London, a sporting competition for injured soldiers, designed to inspire and boost self-esteem , and also has personally been on two Walking For the Wounded challenges in the Arctic raising funds to help these soldiers in life after the army. “We must encourage people to continue supporting our servicemen and women; particularly those who are seeking to transition into civilian life. This process can be challenging, as it is for anyone seeking a new career. As I make this transition myself, I’m determined to do all I can to help others,” said Harry earlier this year launching a charity event to support servicemen.
Today he came to see Lieutenant Ali Spearing, A British Royal Engineers Officer who was badly wounded losing both legs above the knees in an IED explosion whilst on deployment in Afghanistan in 2011. Prince harry had met Al in London and was keen to see how he was faring.
The British soldier travelled across the world to Sydney for ground-breaking treatment pioneered by orthopaedic surgeon Associate Professor Munjed Al Muderis to fit prosthetics controlled by robots that will allow Ali to walk again. “I heard about this Australian surgeon through other military fellows who were singing his praises,” says Lt Spearing. “I registered interest and Associate Professor Muderis contacted me within days. We talked through the process and within a very short time he and his team arranged for a visit.”
Lt Spearing had implants inserted into both limbs last month and on April 28 had his new robotic legs fitted and is already walking short distances. Surgeon Mulderis is an Iraqi refugee having fled Saddam Hussein’s regime and spent time on Christmas Island before starting his new life in Australia and becoming one of our most eminent doctors.
“Firstly the surgery went really really well – a little bit longer than expected but these guys are learning constantly … but he (Alistair) is over the moon and thrilled to bits to be up and walking again on a new set of legs,” the Prince told The Weekly after he witnessed the Lieutenant walking at parallel bars.
“I think what they’re doing here is absolutely amazing. Osseointegration is, as far as I can see it, the way forward for single amputees or double amputees above the knee. I’ve been in negotiations with him [Associate Professor Munjed Al Muderis] and we’re going to get him across to the UK… because it’s life changing it really is.”
“We’ve been preparing for this visit for some while now,” surgeon Muderis told The Weekly. “Prince Harry has seen several of the soldiers that I operated on in the UK, he’s been following the osseointegration process and has seen at least three of the British soldiers that I operated on here in Sydney.
“I think Prince Harry’s involvement will add a major sentimental value to the process and I would love him to be the patron for this procedure worldwide. Prince Harry is brilliant. He’s very humble, very down-to-earth and a very pleasant person to speak to,” said Muderis.
The feeling it seems is mutual. “Sydney Opera House this morning was absolutely fantastic,” Prince Harry said. “I never expected that many people to come out. I actually though we were going to turn up and there’d only be about 10 people there.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for me to say thank you to them. They’ve made me feel so at home here that once again it’s going to be hard to leave and I don’t want to go home I’d love to stay here.”
