Prince Harry attended an event on Monday to conclude the UK-Nepal bicentenary celebrations at the Nepalese Embassy in Kensington Palace Gardens. Nepalese Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi flew to London from Kathmandu to take part in the event.
In his speech, Prince Harry recalled visiting Nepal last year and appreciated the Gurkhas, who served in the British Army, for their courage, selfless dedication and professionalism.
He expressed his desire to go back to Nepal, saying, “… And now that my tika has finally faded it’s probably about time to go back!”
Harry, 32, who was made an honorary Gurkha in Afghanistan, renewed his special relationship with the Nepali soldiers whose forefathers have served with the British Army since 1815.Garlanded with flowers, Prince Harry exchanged banters with men from the 1st Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles who served with him in Helmand province when he was a forward air controller in the winter of 2007 and 2008.
"Good to see you again. How are you?" he reportedly told Captain Lalit Bahadur Gurung, gazing at his dress uniform with a chest full of medals. "Last time I saw you, you were wearing this. You do have other clothes?", the Daily Express reported.
Speaking at the gathering paying tribute to the Nepali people he said, "During my time in Nepal, I was able to visit some of the communities from which the Gurkhas are drawn; I now better understand what has shaped the character of this extraordinary group of men, borne out of the values which the people of Nepal hold so dear," he said.
"Last week, I joined my father in presenting operational service medals to officers and men from 2nd Battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, some of whom are with us here today. My father spoke of how important his 40 year association to the Gurkhas is to him.
"Even though my association hasn’t been quite as long, I also draw a great deal of pride and joy from my association with the Gurkhas. Your courage, selfless dedication and professionalism are legendary; but your warmth and hospitality in welcoming me as a fellow soldier and friend means a great deal to me personally – even though certain people took great enjoyment from watching me sweat in freezing temperatures in Afghanistan while trying to get through a very spicy goat curry; some of you are probably here.”
He chatted to two old friends who both suffered double leg amputations above the knee in Helmand in 2010 and have since taken part in his Invictus Games for injured troops.
Rifleman Vinod Budhathoki, 32, from Maidstone, Kent, and Corporal Hari Budha Magar, 37, from Canterbury, have both seen him regularly through his work with wounded veterans.
Last week Corporal Magar met Harry when he joined Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace to present campaign medals to Gurkhas returning from eight months in Kabul. "Stop following me," the Prince joked with the corporal, who since his injuries has skied, kayaked and is now in training to become the first double amputee Gurkha to climb Mount Everest in 2018.
Rifleman Budhathoki, who like his friend left 1RGR three years ago and now makes a living from property investment, recalled is time in Afghanistan with the Prince.
"He just never let us feel like he was from the Royal Family. We just treated him like any other officer," he said.
A year ago, the Prince had toured Nepal and was presented with a Gurkha knife and watched traditional cultural performances including a Khukuri knife dance by Gurkha soldiers after unveiling a photograph of the 13 Gurkhas who have won the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for gallantry.
