“Good evening everyone, especially those who are serving, have served and continue to serve,” Harry said.
“I have the honour of presenting this year’s Soldier of the Year award.”
The Duke said that when he first met SFC Marks, he presented her with four Invictus gold medals that had won in swimming.
“To me, she epitomises the courage, resilience and determination represented across our service community,” he said. “And this is not just because of her swimming abilities.
“Ellie has courageously overcome every obstacle to cross her path. She has turned her pain into purpose and led through compassion and willpower, showing others that the impossible is indeed possible.”
The Duke said the soldier’s “unwavering commitment serves as a beacon of inspiration, offering hope and setting a powerful example for others to follow.”
In June 2016, when still a working royal, Prince Harry invited members of the Papworth Hospital medical team who had treated SFC Marks in 2014 to Kensington Palace.
He presented them with the 100m freestyle gold medal she had won in Orlando, which she dedicated to the team who saved her life after she fell ill during a visit to the UK for the inaugural Invictus Games.
As soon as the Prince presented her with the medal, she asked him to ensure that it was donated to Papworth Hospital on her behalf, as a mark of her gratitude for the life-saving medical care she had received.
