Prince Harry honored his late mother, Princess Diana, during his trip to New York City.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, spoke Monday at a panel for The Diana Award, a nonprofit organization founded after the late princess’s death at age 36 in 1997.
Harry, who was 12 when he lost his mom, joined the Diana Award CEO Dr. Tessy Ojo and two recipients of the award for a panel discussion about the mental health challenges young people face today.
“I know that my mum would be incredibly proud of you guys, not just you, but all of the award winners,” Harry told the group on stage with him.
“One of the reasons we are here today is mental health,” he went on. “The fact that it affects every single one of us from top to bottom, from the youngest to the oldest. I think you guys are leading the charge in hopefully being able to break down the stigma to be able to continue these conversations.”
Harry added, “The courage that you have gives me hope, because every single one of us need courage in order to really move the dial and create positive change in today’s world, probably more so now than ever.”
“So thank you to you guys for giving me and probably a whole lot of people in this room hope, and now we need to listen — constantly listen — and then act on the advice and the vision that you have, because otherwise it’s your future that’s being stolen from you, and that is unacceptable.”
Harry is scheduled for several events during his time in NYC, while his wife, Meghan Markle, is home in Montecito, Calif. with their two kids.
On Sunday, he went to a charity dinner hosted by the World Health Organization that honored survivors of childhood violence. He mingled with Belgium’s Queen Mathilde and actor Forest Whitaker, among others.
Before flying across the country, Harry attended One805Live!’s Fall Charity concert at Kevin Costner’s beachfront estate in Carpinteria, Calif.
While there, Harry greeted Richard Marx and told him “well done” after the musician, 61, performed for the fundraising concert supporting Santa Barbara County first responders.
Marx’s wife, Daisy Fuentes, documented the pair’s interaction in a video on her Instagram Stories.
However, Fuentes, 57, accidentally tagged Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Instagram account, @princeandprincessofwales, on the post, which has since expired.
Harry and Markle’s IG account, @sussexroyal, has been inactive since March 2020, two months after the couple announced their decision to step back as senior royals.
Harry and William, 42, had a falling out after Harry blasted the royal family in his and his wife’s 2021 interview with Oprah, their “Harry & Meghan” Netflix docuseries and his tell-all memoir, “Spare.”
The brothers came face-to-face but didn’t speak to each other in London last month at a memorial service for Diana’s brother-in-law, Lord Robert Fellowes.
Following Harry’s duties in New York, he will travel back to the UK, where he is the guest of honor for the WellChild Awards in London on Sept. 30.
The last time Harry was in his home country was for the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games, but he didn’t spend time with any of his estranged family.
Markle, meanwhile, reportedly has no interest in returning to the UK amid tension with her in-laws.
