Prince Harry made a surprise appearance to support the forthcoming 2025 WellChild Awards — and the video appeared to be shot at the Montecito home he shares with Meghan Markle and their kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, urged the public to submit nominations for the 20th annual awards in the clip, released on Tuesday, January 28.
“Each year, the WellChild Awards, in association with GSK, recognize and celebrate the growing number of young people with complex medical conditions from across the United Kingdom as well as those who go the extra mile to care for them,” Harry said. “They allow us to shine a spotlight on the remarkable stories of strength, resilience and courage that they demonstrate every single day.”
Harry has been a patron of WellChild, an organization that raises money for children and young people with exceptional health needs to be cared for at home instead of hospitals, since 2007.
“This year is especially significant as we celebrate the 20th WellChild Awards,” Harry added in the video. “It is a true privilege to honor the bravery and compassion of this incredible community.”
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He asked the public to nominate “exceptional people who inspire you every single day” for the upcoming ceremony, which is set to take place later this year.
“Your support can make all the difference,” Harry concluded. “So, please join us in recognizing the amazing individuals who will be recognized at the 2025 WellChild Awards.”
This isn’t the first time the Duke has shot from his California home. He and Markle, 43, previously stood in the same spot when speaking at the Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children in November 2024.
Harry’s work with WellChild has been widely recognized over the years. In October 2024, a source told Us Weekly exclusively that the duke was “amazing” with the children while attending the 2024 WellChild Awards.
“Harry was so warm and charismatic on stage,” the insider shared at the time. “The reaction to him was very good.”
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Prior to the ceremony, Harry “spent time backstage with all the winners for a long time,” the source continued.
“He was just chatting to them all and had even learned things about them all first, so it was intimate and touching,” they added. “He is so good at that sort of thing, hanging with kids.”
Harry also addressed the crowd during the same event, sharing details about his fatherhood journey.
“As a parent, I know a little about the emotional roller-coaster of parenting,” he said. “But, when I hear about the care many of you mums, dads and family members provide; the level of round-the-clock care you offer; the skills you’ve had to learn; and the battles for support that you fight every single day — I am truly in awe. You are all incredible, and your love and dedication are nothing short of heroic.”
