Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are making the rounds this week. The pair recently attended the 2019 WellChild Awards, where Harry was due to give a speech.
As the Duke of Sussex spoke, he mentioned that the pair knew Meghan was pregnant at last year's awards but hadn't announced the pregnancy publicly yet. As People explains, Harry continued, saying, "Last year, when my wife and I attended, we knew we were expecting our first child — no one else did at the time, but we did — and I remember…" and then broke off, bowing his head to collect himself. Harry continued with his speech after wiping his eyes.
"I remember squeezing Meghan’s hand so tight during the awards, both of us thinking what it would be like to be parents one day,” he went on. “And more so, what it would be like to do everything we could to protect and help our child should they be born with immediate challenges or become unwell over time. And now, as parents, being here and speaking to all of you pulls at my heartstrings in a way I could have never understood until I had a child of my own."
The WellChild Awards have become one of the biggest nights of the year for the couple, who have taken care to nurture a feeling of community for the children and caregivers who attend.
The duke's impassioned speech wowed the crowd, who applauded and cheered as he paused to gather his emotions. Harry has been a patron of WellChild since 2007, and this is the first year he has attended as a dad himself.
WellChild is an important organization in the UK, especially in the lives of the children and families it serves. WellChild's goal is to make sure that children who are battling serious health conditions are able to get the support they need in their homes, instead of having to travel to hospitals and clinics.
Harry and Meghan toasted the winners of this year's awards, which include children, nurses, and other medical professionals who are deeply involved in the care of children who face chronic illnesses. The two chose three other charities along with WellChild to benefit from the gifts they received when Archie was born.
Harry and Meghan also took photos with the award winners, including Lyla-Rose O'Donovan and Dexter Spence, cowinners of the Inspirational Child 4-6 Award. Lyla-Rose is currently battling a brain tumor and has undergone multiple surgeries, while Dexter was diagnosed with leukemia in 2018.
Meghan and Harry were also all smiles while greeting award winner Wiliam Magee, who won the award for Inspirational Child 7-10. William is contending with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative condition that most commonly strikes young boys.
The royal pair also met with award winners privately. Here they are pictured with Milly Sutherland and her mother, Angela. As a fellow redhead, Milly was curious to know if Archie had inherited Harry's famous feature. The duke told her that he has.
Of course, no official royal visit is complete without gifts for the youngest member of the family: baby Archie. Meghan and Harry were moved by the gifts they received, including this WellChild onesie.
Each month Meghan and Harry choose 17 accounts to highlight on Instagram. Each month has a theme, and this month's theme of "community" pairs well with the WellChild Awards event. Of the accounts chosen this month, the two said, "These accounts showcase what it means to be a community across all levels of society, working hard toward the goal of ensuring everyone, no matter what your background is, feels a part of something positive."
WellChild also shared numerous videos and photos from the evening's event, including this snapshot of Meghan Markle happily greeting a member of the Star Primary Choir, which performed at the event. All the photos from the event can be found on the organization's website.
Prince Harry and Meghan are sure to carry on the duke's 10-plus-year patronage of WellChild well into the future. Their commitment to ensuring that children receive the medical and emotional care they need is a moving example of the good work they continue to put into the world.
