How does Strictly Come Dancing’s JJ Chalmers know Prince Harry?
17 October 2020, 18:00
How does JJ Chalmers know Prince Harry and what has he said about him? Find out everything...
After fears it would be cancelled this year due to the pandemic, Strictly Come Dancing is back this year.
And with all the social distancing rules, it’s looking a little different in 2020.
Not only has Bruno Tonioli had to miss the series due to travel restrictions, but the number of celebrities competing has also been reduced.
But one man hoping to make it all the way to the final regardless of the changes, is Invictus Games medalist, John-James Chalmers.
JJ is a former Royal Marines Commando turned TV presenter who was injured from a bomb blast whilst serving in Afghanistan.
During his time in the Marines, JJ struck up a friendship with Prince Harry, but how do they know each other?
Read More: How long will Strictly Come Dancing 2020 be on for?
How does JJ Chalmers know Prince Harry?
JJ and Prince Harry met more than five years ago when they served together in the military.
The star was almost killed in a horrific explosion in 2011 while he was on a foot patrol in Helmand Province.
Suffering from life-threatening injuries, JJ was taken to Camp Bastion before being put in a coma and flown back to the UK.
He was missing most of his torso, his elbows were destroyed, there were holes in his and he lost two fingers.
While recovering from his injuries, JJ then met the Prince during a rehabilitation triathlon in June 2014.
Harry, who also served in Afghanistan, then persuaded JJ to enter the first ever Invictus Games.
JJ then went on to win a gold medal for Britain in the cycling event at the London Velodrome.
What has JJ said about Prince Harry?
JJ and his wife Kornelia was invited to all three parts of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.
Before the wedding took place, he told the Mirror: “The idea that somehow my life has gone from that to this is so incredible. I will also be sitting there going, ‘Have a good day, mate’.
“I sit here thinking ‘Prince Harry’s my friend’. Every time I see him, I have fun. It’s going to be awesome, a cracking day.”
When asked about Harry and Meghan’s controversial decision to leave the royals last year, he said he believed he was ‘protecting the family’.
Prince Harry Gives A Rousing Invictus Games Speech
“Any husband wants to protect their wife and any father wants to protect their children,” he said.
"He is a very principled individual and so when he looks as how social media talks about someone, he has to answer to his son one day when he begins to understand this and be able to look him in the face and say, ‘I made the right decision and I did right by you.’"
JJ also gushed over his friend, previously opening up on The One Show.
He said:"I’m very lucky and fortunate to have an insight into [Harry’s] life, and he has changed my life through the Invictus Games.
"When I first met him five years ago we were both serving in the military, we were both sort of leaving the military, and in some ways he was leaving the military not on his terms as well because of who he is."
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