Dr. Jill Biden praises Prince Harry in event honouring veterans

US First Lady Dr. Jill Biden paid tribute to Prince Harry during a virtual ceremony on Monday that honoured veterans involved in the Warrior Games.

In the live event, the wife of U.S. President Joe Biden saluted the Duke of Sussex for his "heart" and courage when she talked about the years he served in the military after 9/11. The royal was in the military for ten years and was even stationed in Afghanistan.

"There was a call to defend the values we hold dear as we waged a global war on terror and a courageous group of men and women stepped forward to say: 'Me, I will go,"' she said as quoted by The Sun.

"And that includes you, Harry. You live by a simple principle, serve together, recover together. It's a philosophy not limited by the flag, where your brothers and sisters in arms are connected by something so much deeper than the borders that separate us, and you've dedicated your time, talent, and heart to lifting up service members from around the globe," Dr. Biden added.

She opened the ceremony with praise for Prince Harry who thanked her for the kind words before he paid tribute to the veterans. He also talked about the importance of the Warrior Games as a form of rehabilitation for these soldiers. The 36-year old said it is "ultimately the reminder of service, both at home and overseas."

The Duke of Sussex then addressed the veterans as he shared his joy to see the "pride on their faces." He said it shows how far they have come in conquering "the dark places" they have been to and where they are now "stronger than ever before, no doubt."

"To see you guys smiling, when I know how much you've been through - it's not just about you and your families. You have to remember, you're doing this for your brothers and sisters in arms. And those people who are in a really dark place - you know what it's like, you've been there yourselves, recovered for yourselves, and you're leading them to their own recovery," he said.

Prince Harry spoke from his Montecito mansion in California where he and Meghan Markle now live with their two children. He was supposed to appear in person at the Warrior Games but co-hosted the virtual event instead with Dr. Biden. The games were cancelled amid the pandemic and was initially scheduled for Sept. 12 to 22 at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida.