Prince Harry will arrive in London today on his final solo visit to Britain without his wife Meghan Markle, amid speculation about whether he might reunite with his father, King Charles, or his brother, Prince William.
The Duke of Sussex is due to attend the WellChild awards ceremony in the capital, to help celebrate the achievements and resilience of seriously ill young people and their families.
Harry, who has been a patron of the charity for the past 15 years, arrives on the other side of the Atlantic after several high-profile speeches at events in New York last week.
But so far it has not been confirmed whether he would be able to connect with his brother William or travel to Scotland, where his father Charles is currently staying.
Reports suggested the royal siblings were unlikely to come into contact as the pair are not believed to have spoken when they attended a family funeral in the UK last month.
Prince Harry will arrive in London to present an award and speak at the WellChild Charity Awards.
The Duke of Sussex appears here with Christopher Anderson, who nominated Caroline Anderson for Best Nurse, during the WellChild Childrens’ Health Awards ceremony at Lord’s Cricket Ground in north-west London in October 2007.
There have been questions about whether Prince Harry (left) would catch up with his father, King Charles (centre) or his brother, Prince William (right), while they were in the UK; They are seen here together outside Lancaster House in central London in February 2014.
This visit to the United Kingdom is Harry’s last trip without his wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who is at their home in Montecito, California; is pictured here in March 2024 in Austin, Texas.
The King is believed to be spending time at his Balmoral home and is believed to have not seen Harry since the duke rushed to his father’s side after Charles’ cancer diagnosis was announced in February.
The WellChild Awards celebrate the inspiring qualities of some of the country’s seriously ill young people and the dedication of those who keep them healthy and happy, including health, social care and education professionals.
Harry regularly attends the annual event organized by WellChild, the national charity providing a national network of nurses, home renovation projects and family support programmes.
Before the big event, the Duke will attend a reception to meet the category winners and their families before joining guests for the private awards ceremony.
You must present the award to the most inspiring child (ages four to six) and give a short speech.
Last week in New York, Harry showed off his language skills speaking Sesotho, as he revealed how climate change leaves him “terrified” of his children Archie and Lilibet.
He also called tourism a “double-edged sword” that can harm communities as he continued his recent blitz of solo appearances while his wife Meghan remained at home.
The Duke of Sussex spoke of his concern about the possible harmful impact of both climate change and social media on children like five-year-old Archie and three-year-old Lilibet.
His latest appearances included events in New York showcasing two of his initiatives, one supporting the southern African country of Lesotho and another promoting his sustainable tourism charity.
Speaking alongside members of Lesotho’s royal family at the United Nations headquarters, Harry told how the name of his charity Sentebale comes from the country’s Sesotho language, which means “Forget me not.”
He had begun by saying in English: “Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and friends,” and then repeated the greeting in Sesotho: “Morena, basali le bahlomphehi, baeti ba hlomphehang le metsoalle.”
He recalled his first visit to Lesotho during a gap year in 2024 between leaving Eton and starting at Sandhurst military academy, as he spoke alongside other delegates including the country’s King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso.
Harry, 40, said: “The royal family of Lesotho, as well as Lesotho itself, has been a pillar of strength for me over the past 20 years, welcoming me with open arms and with great kindness.
‘The beautiful mountain kingdom feels like a home away from home.
“That friendship has only strengthened as we have worked together to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the people of Lesotho and the world at large.”
Harry spoke of his help in setting up Sentebale two years after his first visit, adding: “The charity was founded in honor of our mothers and symbolizes our commitment to always remember and champion the most vulnerable among us.”
‘Our mission at Sentebale is simple but incredibly important: to help vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana access vital health services, receive care and support, and develop the life skills needed to thrive.
“By focusing on young people, we are breaking generational cycles of trauma and outdated beliefs.”
It has since been revealed that the Duke of Sussex will be making his first trip in more than six years to the African nation where he established his first major charitable project.
Harry will travel to Lesotho early next month for a meeting of business leaders, philanthropists and local stakeholders, which aims to advance Sentebale’s work and support the digital and economic inclusion of the next generation.
Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded Sentebale with Harry almost 20 years ago, said it would bring “joy” to the community to welcome back Mohale, Harry’s affectionate Sesotho royal name which means “warrior”.
And the duke said: “As we approach our 20th anniversary, our ambition has grown, giving us the confidence to bring our skills and experience to designing solutions with young people and to harness our convening power to collaborate. with the main regional and global players”. funders so we can add the Sentebale voice to address the challenges facing the next generation in southern Africa.’
Harry was first invited to the country, landlocked within South Africa, by Seeiso, a friend of his mentor, former army officer Mark Dyer.
Founded in 2006, Sentebale began working in Leosotho before expanding to Botswana and operates in four key areas: strengthening the social and emotional well-being of those living with or affected by HIV; help provide access to health and social services; boost youth advocacy; and develop people’s skills and livelihoods.
The duke regularly visited the mountain nation to promote his organisation’s work, but last traveled to the capital Maseru in 2018, the year he married Meghan.
Harry and Seeiso will visit Lesotho to showcase Sentebale’s work to new supporters alongside existing donors through American Friends of Sentebale, and the princes will also meet with local leaders and youth advocates.
In Johannesburg, the group will participate in a reception with stakeholders and South Africa-based strategic partner, Lebec, a women-led financial and philanthropic firm, and participate in a panel discussion on philanthropists creating change beyond writing checks.
Sentebale president Dr Sophie Chandauka said: “Africa has the largest and fastest growing youth population, and by 2050, almost 40 per cent of the world’s youth will reside on the continent, and southern “Africa will host a significant part.”
‘More than 50 per cent of these young people are at risk of remaining economically vulnerable without urgent investment in digital skills, education and job creation.
‘The Duke’s return to southern Africa, alongside our new American friends, marks a milestone in our collaboration with world-class organizations and local leaders to engage this critical youth group.
“Together, we aim to accelerate digital and economic inclusion, addressing low levels of access and literacy, which are crucial for youth participation in the global economy and for achieving Sentebale’s goals on health, wealth creation and resilience. climate”.
