PRINCE Harry revealed what ‘gives him hope’ and paid tribute to Princess Diana on his trip to New York without Meghan Markle.
The Duke of Sussex took to the stage today to discuss mental health with two young winners of an award in memory of his mother.
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Harry spoke today in honor of his mother, the late Princess Diana, as he discussed mental healthCredit: Reuters
It comes as part of the 14th Concordia Annual Summit, in support of the Diana Award.
Harry addressed the winners of The Legacy Award, Chiari Riyanti Hutapea Zhang from Indonesia and Christina Williams from Jamaica.
He said: “The courage you have gives me hope because each of us needs courage to really move the wheel and create positive change in the world today, probably more than ever.
“So thank you for giving me, and probably many other people in this room, hope, and now we need to listen, constantly listen, and then act according to the advice and vision you have, because otherwise it is your future that is being stolen from you and that is unacceptable.”
At the start of the question and answer session, Diana Prize chief executive Tessy Ojo asked the Duke of Sussex “what are you hoping for?” to which he joked “can I be last?”
“The reason I wanted to be last is because these guys give me hope,” he said after talking to Chiara and Christina.
Earlier in his speech, a nervous-looking Harry spoke about mental health at the event, with others talking about climate concerns
The Duke said: “This is a very, very important subject that concerns each and every one of us.”
Harry, who wore a gold, square Diana Award badge on the lapel of his dark suit, asked the two Diana Legacy Award winners in attendance what “concerns you most about the world today?” and “what are the biggest barriers to young people reaching their full potential?”
He also asked them how poor mental health affected them and their friends.
Christina Williams, 27, told the Duke: “Scared children can’t dream, Prince Harry.”
Harry said of mental health: “It affects every one of us, from top to bottom, from the youngest to the oldest.
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“And I think you guys are leading the way in the hope that you can break the stigma and be able to continue these conversations.”
The dad-of-two added: “I know my mum would be incredibly proud of you, not just you but all the winners and, Tessy, you’ve been in this for a long time, so thank you for that too.
“But the way you do it, your activism, your compassion, those two things are so true to the way my mom led her life and what she believed in. And the way you do it is amazing. So thank you.”
The Duke of Sussex also called on governments to involve young people in policy-making.
He said: “Certainly one of the solutions is for governments to implement or at least find young people like you and get them into decision-making, policy-making situations before problems arise.
“That’s where the difference will be made. And why isn’t that happening?”
It comes after Harry kicked off his New York with a polished dinner at the weekend.
He was photographed during a high-level dinner organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Big Apple on Sunday.
The event was to honor survivors of childhood abuse and discuss its impact on mental health.
He hung out with Belgian Queen Mathilde and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
Officials from other countries included Sweden, Colombia, Zimbabwe, Georgia, Canada, Iceland and Brazil.
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Prince Harry greeted Queen Mathilde of Belgium in New York Credit: Rex
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Harry’s wife Meghan Markle, pictured above at the 2024 SXSW conference in Texas, was noticeably absentCredit: Getty
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The Duke of Sussex with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo Credit: Rex
Actor Forest Whitaker was also in attendance, but Harry’s wife Meghan was noticeably absent.
The usually inseparable pair have been spending time apart since Harry’s bachelor trip to celebrate his 40th birthday this month.
Harry appeared alone at a charity event in California at the weekend after Meghan pulled out at the last minute after falling ill.
It comes at the start of a week of high-profile solo events in New York.
Harry is also due to appear with an African conservation group and the Halo Trust, a landmine charity close to Di’s heart.
He is due to host the WellChild Awards in London next Monday.
This is the second time in a few weeks that Harry has returned to England alone after attending a memorial service for his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes at the end of August.
Royal expert Phil Dampier said: “It’s significant that he’s doing so much on his own now.
“They live separate lives as Harry seems to be trying to figure out exactly what his future holds.
“I guess Harry felt like a spare part.
“He wants more fulfilling roles for himself so maybe we’ll see more of him here.”
In a statement released ahead of his birthday, Harry made no mention of Meghan – instead focusing on celebrating his “lovely and funny” children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has denied cutting Meghan out of Harry’s birthday wishes to the Prince and Princess of Wales.
A spokesman for the Duke said: “During the UN General Assembly’s High Level Week and Climate Week in New York, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, will be in the city to promote a range of his patronage and philanthropic initiatives.”
The statement added: “He will be involved in engagements with African Parks, The HALO Trust, The Diana Award and Travalyst.
“In addition, he will further the work of the Archewell Foundation, a non-profit organization he co-founded with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. We will announce more details as we approach the week of the event.”
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Actor Forest Whitaker was also present Credit: Rex
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The event was to honor survivors of childhood abuseCredit: Rex
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Today Harry kicks off a week of high profile solo events in New YorkCredit: Rex
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