Ahead of the unveiling of a statue in honor of Princess Diana, Prince Harry surprised recipients of his late mother’s Diana Awards, praising the group of young people for their various contributions to society.
The Duke of Sussex made an unexpected video appearance at the ceremony honoring this year’s recipients of the Diana Award, established in memory of the late Princess of Wales and given to people aged 9 to 25 in honor of their social action or humanitarian work. “I’m truly honored to be celebrating your work, your commitment to change making, and the vital role that you’ve taken on representing a new generation of humanitarianism,” he told the winners. “Later this week, my brother and I are recognizing what would have been our mum’s 60th birthday, and she would be so proud of you all for living authentic life with purpose and with compassion for others.” He went on to explain that, “Our mum believed that young people have the power to change the world. She believed in your strength because she saw it day in and day out and in the faces of young people exactly like you, she witnessed a boundless enthusiasm and passion.” He added that his wife Meghan Markle is equally passionate about supporting future generations explaining, “Meg and I fundamentally believe that our world is at the cusp of change, real change for the good of all.”
The chief executive of the Diana Award charity, Tessy Ojo, told People, “It is such an honor to have the Duke of Sussex saying this wonderful message of congratulations to the young people. For him to say to the young people that his mother would be proud of them means so much. It is such an honor that he is proud of the young people and the work they do. And it is such a massive pat on the back for them and their families. Every time her sons talk about the pride they have in the work that is being done in her name, brings me so much joy.”
While most of today’s award recipients weren’t even alive at the same time as Princess Diana, the chief executive explained that the royal still, “set the tone that young people today still find incredibly relevant, it resonates with them. When I hear young people saying to us, ‘If I could be half the person she was, I want to make her proud or I am trying to follow that example,’ [that] says something about the incredible person and icon that she was.” Ojo also added that the statue being erected in her honor at Kensington Palace this month is a “landmark moment. She was ahead of her time. She reminds us about what humanity is about—to be able to care for others without any personal gain. She really symbolizes that and I hope that this moment will help us focus on what truly matters in society.”
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