Prince Harry's moving message for the 2020 Diana Awards
Last month, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, spoke out against the death of George Floyd during her commencement speech for her former high school’s graduation.
Since then, she and her husband, Prince Harry, have become more vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement, and in a newly released video, Harry made his own strong statement against racism.
In what would have been Princess Diana’s 59th birthday, it was also the annual presentation of the Diana Awards, established in the memory of the late royal.
The awards recognise the youth for their social or humanitarian work, as Diana believed young people could change the world.
In a video recorded for the awards, Prince Harry asked young people to help repair the current ills in our society and praised what the recipients had already accomplished.
Prince Harry recorded a video for the @DianaAward #2020DianaAwards taking place today (on what would be Princess Diana’s 59th birthday).
In it, he says institutional racism is still “endemic” in our societies and has pledged that he and Meghan will be “part of the change” needed. pic.twitter.com/5tbE263b3k— Omid Scobie (@scobie) July 1, 2020
"I am so incredibly proud to be part of these awards because they honour the legacy of my mother and bring out the very best in people like you," the Prince said. "You all are doing such incredible work, and at a time of great uncertainty you have found the power and inspiration inside of you to make a positive mark on the world."
Harry mentioned how his mother would have felt a feeling of admiration for the recipients as she knew what they did was necessary and important, even though it was difficult.
"I can assure you [Diana] would have been fighting in your corner," Harry noted. "Like many of you she never took the easy route, or the popular one, or the comfortable one, but she stood for something and she stood up for people who needed it."
The Prince then began talking about issues related to the current climate, as the world has been protesting against racial discrimination.
In his statement, Harry followed in his wife’s footsteps and mentioned that society has not yet done enough to combat these issues.
"My wife said recently that our generation and the ones before us haven’t done enough to right the wrongs of the past," Harry said. "I too am sorry—sorry that we haven't got the world to the place that you deserve it to be."
The Prince continued, calling out the racism still ever-present today. "Institutional racism has no place in our societies yet it is still endemic," he said. "Unconscious bias must be acknowledged without blame to create a better world for all of you."
Harry then finished off his speech by asking young people, especially the recipients of the Diana Award, to continue fighting for a more equitable and fair society. He also verified his own commitment to these causes.
"I want you to know that we are committed to being part of the solution and to being part of the change that you are all leading," Prince Harry said. "Now is the time and we know that you can do it."