Laying Low: Meghan Markle Ditches Glitzy Prince Harry 'Living Legend' Award Ceremony Amid Criticism Over Royal Health Crises

Meghan Markle skipped Prince Harry's "Living Legend of Aviation" awards ceremony on Friday, January 19, as a source shared that she was caring for one of their sick children. The royal rebel prince received his award from actor John Travolta, and reportedly did not mention King Charles III and Kate, Princess of Wales' health problems.

"I was one year old when you danced with my mum," the fifth in line to the British throne quipped. "As you’ve told everybody here, and continue to dine out on that, probably every single night." "This is nice," the prince said when looking at his award. "Thanks very much, Captain John. But look at us now! It’s great. So, if we’re not going to dance together, we’ll fly together," the Duke of Sussex joked to the Saturday Night Fever star.

In November 1985, during Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales' tour of the United States, the couple visited Former President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House. The former actor turned Commander-in-Chief arranged a star-studded gala dinner in honor of the future king and one-time future queen.

John Travolta was persuaded by the first lady to dance with the Princess of Wales, and the famous image of the unlikely duo's elegant dancing became iconic.

"What can you remember about your first flight?" Travolta asked Harry.

"It’s classified," the Duke joked.

"For me, flying has been a transcendent experience," Harry added when accepting his award. " A close encounter with magic, an invitation to both protect freedom… and to feel free, and, funny enough, an opportunity to ground oneself, without actually being grounded."

He continued: "I find my flight training — which was over the course of three years— to be one of life’s greatest lessons. It triggered a vast array of feelings."

The Duke of Sussex was one of four people accepting an award at the Friday, January 19, event. The royal rebel was recognized for his role as an Apache helicopter pilot during his 2007 and 2012 tours of duty in Afghanistan.

The Montecito Duke was all smiles and cracking jokes just days after it was announced that his father, King Charles III, would need surgery, and his sister-in-law, Kate, Princess of Wales, was recovering from abdominal surgery. This has led numerous royal analysts to criticize the prince for not mentioning his sick family.

"Wouldn't it have been good for Prince Harry to have supported his brother and his family instead of allowing very unkind and cruel things to be said about Kate in both his books Spare and in books which appear to have been written with his approval, if not cooperation?" royal journalist Michael Cole told an outlet.

The Daily Mail reported on Meghan's awards absence.