Moment Prince Harry jumps out of a plane after 'making skydiving bet' with 102-year-old WWII veteran
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Prince Harry was forced to undertake a charity skydive after making a bet a year ago with a 102-year-old veteran he met in Canada.
The Duke of Sussex introduced himself to Ed Marshall, a former paratrooper who had served for the Allies in WWII, during a visit to the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre in Canada - the largest veterans' care facility in the country.
After Ed showed the Prince photographs of him completing a charity jump aged 100, he agreed to do another with the royal. The pair have since become close friends.
Although the veteran could sadly not complete the jump for medical reasons, his grandson, Bailey Fullan, bravely stepped in to take his place, with Ed cheering the team on by joining them in the air in the skydive plane.
A video released by The Sunnybrook Foundation captured the moment the bet was fulfilled by Harry a year later, on September 25.
Prince Harry, who served in the British Army for a decade and completed tours in Afghanistan, joined Bailey, Jeremy Blair, a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran and Sunnybrook’s President and CEO, and Dr. Andy Smith in the skies.
Prince Harry fulfilled his bet with a 102-year-old WWII veteran in September by jumping out of a plane for a military charity
The royal had met former paratrooper Ed Marshall (pictured, left) during a visit to the Sunnybrook Foundation in Canada last year
The charity released a video today of the royal braving the jump with a smile, as he joked he'll 'be more cautious next time' when making a bet with the 102-year-old
The quad were seen bravely jumping out of the propeller plane, after being encouraged by Ed, hugging each other after completing the skydive.
Prince Harry said after fulfilling his bet with the WWII veteran: 'A huge, huge thanks to Sunnybrook for putting this whole event on, and the biggest thanks goes to Ed and his entire family for making this possible.'
He added jokingly: 'I will be more cautious next time not to pay too much attention to a photograph that leads you to making a deal or a bet with a 102-year-old! Cheers Sunnybrook!'
Ed's grandson, Bailey, said: 'Amazing to be up there with the Prince - what a prince of a guy - it was a fantastic experience! And such a great way to support our veterans, so I'm proud of that.'
The Sunnybrook Foundation wrote: 'Last November, Prince Harry met Ed Marshall, a WWII Veteran who trained as a paratrooper during his visit to the Sunnybrook Veterans Centre.
'Ed shared his story of the fundraising skydive he completed at 100, inspiring the two Veterans to plan a jump together.
While the veteran could not make the jump himself for medical reasons, he cheered the royal on beforehand from the plane
Prince Harry served in the British Army for ten years, completing tours in Afghanistan
The Sunnybrook Foundation thanked the Duke of Sussex for the skydive, saying: 'What began as a conversation between two Veterans became a promise kept'
The Duke of Sussex thanked the Canadian charity for putting the event on, adding: 'The biggest thanks goes to Ed and his entire family for making this possible'
'Nearly a year later, that promise became a reality. When a medical evaluation prevented Ed from jumping, his grandson Bailey Fullan stepped in to jump in his honour.
'On September 25, Prince Harry, Bailey, Jeremy Blair, a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran and Sunnybrook’s President and CEO, Dr. Andy Smith took to the skies, with Ed joining them aboard the plane and cheered them on before making the leap.
'What began as a conversation between two Veterans became a promise kept, an unforgettable chapter in Ed’s remarkable story and meaningful way to give back to Sunnybrook Foundation and True Patriot Love Foundation – two organizations dedicated to serving Canada’s military and Veteran communities.'
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