The Duke of Sussex has reflected on his late mother, Princess Diana, as he wrapped up his final engagement after his four-day stint in the UK. Harry made a special appearance at the Diana Award in central London on Thursday morning where he heard from young people about how social action has positively impacted their mental health. The Duke spent an hour chatting to a broad array of young changemakers and listening to a panel discussion. He then departed just after 11am .
The Diana Award is the only charity set up in the name of the late Princess Diana and is a project he shares with Prince William. During his visit today, the Duke of Sussex talked about the ways in which activism can boost the mental health of young people before listening in on an intimate panel discussion. The panel was led by Lottie Leach, Elsa Arnold and Idorenyin Hope Akpan, all aged 23, and was chaired by Dan Lawes, who was a previous recipient of the Diana Award.
In a statement, the Duke said: “Getting involved in peaceful social action takes courage and determination. Young people see the issues society faces close up – whether that’s poor mental health or the consequences of inequalities. But you don’t stand still; your empathy and compassion drive you to make change. Purpose combined with action can help overcome a sense of hopelessness, and that’s exactly what you’ve shown today.”
“When you spoke about how taking action gave you purpose, confidence and joy, it was more powerful than any statistic. It reminded me that agency is not a luxury for young people, it is a lifeline. My mother believed in the power and agency of young people to positively impact the world. The Diana Award continues her legacy by putting young people at the heart of everything they do. Today is a perfect example of that. My message to everyone is don’t stand still, don’t stay silent – make them hear you because you speak for the majority.”
Harry’s meeting with King Charles
The Duke of Sussex’s appearance at the Diana Award comes a day after he reunited with his father, the King, for the first time in 19 months. Prince Harry was captured arriving by car at Charles’s London residence, Clarence House, at 17.20pm on Wednesday afternoon. Speculation of a reunion between father and son mounted in the lead-up to their meeting as Charles, 76, flew back to London from Balmoral Castle on Wednesday afternoon. Their timings coincided as Harry visited the Centre for Blast Injury Studies at Imperial College London.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the King had a private tea with the Duke at Clarence House. Harry left Clarence House at 6.14, roughly an hour after his arrival. He was driven out in a black car and is expected to attend an Invictus Games related event this evening. The Duke, 40, last saw his father for a 45-minute meeting at Clarence House in February 2024, after he flew out from his Californian home to the UK following Charles’ cancer diagnosis.
