Camilla emotional over war medals

May 6, 2010, 12:02 GMT

Britain's Camilla presented soldiers with war medals yesterday (05.05.10).

The Duchess of Cornwall - who is Royal Colonel of Mechanised Infantry regiment 4 Rifles - was stunned to see injured rifleman Daniel Owens struggle out of his wheelchair to stand for attention in front of her at his base in Wiltshire yesterday.

Presenting him with a medal for his bravery, Camilla was close to tears as she told him: "You are incredibly brave."

Daniel, 22 - who has spent three months in a hospital bed after being shot in the back in an ambush in Afghanistan - had made it his personal goal to be on parade when the duchess presented his unit with campaign medals, even though he'd only been well enough to sit in a wheelchair for the past week.

A family friend told the Daily Express newspaper: "He'd been told not to do it but he was determined he'd stand for Camilla. He's been practicing but he only stood for the first time on Monday."

Camilla - who is herself nursing a broken leg after tripping in a rabbit hole - rode a red mobility scooter around the camp but stood on crutches to greet the rifleman.

She added: "You make me very proud to be British."

In a speech to friends and relatives of the soldiers, Camilla said: "It is with the greatest pride that as your Royal Colonel I am able to be with your families and the battalion to finally welcome you home. It gives me the greatest possible pleasure to present you with your incredibly well-deserved service medals."