Britain's Prince Harry met injured war veterans on the flight deck of the USS Intrepid in New York City on Friday (June 25).

The 25-year-old royal, who is third in line to the British throne, mingled with guests and spoke to members of the U.S. military who had been injured during active duty.

Addressing the crowd, the Prince was impressed by the aircraft carrier and the Manhattan skyline that served as a backdrop.

[Prince Harry]:
"It's a bit of a pinch-yourself moment standing on the flight deck of the Intrepid, the legendary 'Fighting I' and not a bad backdrop either, so it's a huge privilege, thank you."

The prince, a lieutenant in the British army, who has served in Afghanistan, said the bond between American and British forces, although strong, could be improved.

[Prince Harry]:
"American and British forces have fought shoulder to shoulder for a hundred years to safeguard the ideals and values our countries share. This extraordinary history of sacrifice and unity of purpose continues to this day. We fight together, and tragically some die together and others are wounded together."

"For veterans, and those who care for them, trans-Atlantic bonds do hold firm. But I believe they can still be strengthened. We in Britain can learn from the American culture of charity and from the great pioneering work in the fields of care, prosthetics and rehabilitation of your universities, hospitals and other organizations. And in turn, I hope we can offer some inspiring examples of our own."

Prince Harry spent part of the evening talking to U.S. Marine Corporal Aaron Mankin, who was injured in Northern Iraq in 2005 after his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device.

The 28-year-old Purple Heart medal recipient from San Antonio, Texas, who has had 60 operations to date, said he felt privileged to meet the prince.

[U.S. Marine Corporal Aaron Mankin]:
"He's a warrior too and he gets it, he understands. And to have the opportunity to meet him and shake his hand, and just realize you know, everything else aside, we just have a lot in common."

Prince Harry has just begun a three-day visit to New York, which has been described as a personal fact-finding mission to learn how war veterans’ charities can better work together on both sides of the Atlantic.