keeping up with the royals

Prince Harry Talks About Fatherhood in Impassioned Speech

Prince Harry.
Prince Harry. Photo: Matt Dunham/Getty Images

On Wednesday, expectant parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had two official, but separate, royal outings: she, to visit the National Theatre, and he, to deliver a powerful address about the importance of progress to a room of youth leaders.

Prince Harry took to the podium at the Commonwealth Youth Roundtable at Lancaster House in London, addressing how his impending parenthood has helped him become more aware of why the world needs to change for the better, and why community service is so vital. The ginger prince, who serves as the Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, told those in attendance, per Entertainment Tonight:

“As someone who is about to become a father, I am acutely aware of our shared responsibility to make this world more resilient and its inhabitants more accountable for the next generation. The only way to see real progress is not by chance, it’s by change.”

The prince, whose first royal baby is due in late April, went on to speak of the role that health — mental, environmental, and personal — will play in helping the world move forward. This falls in line with the messaging of his charity Heads Together, which he started with his sister-in-law Kate Middleton and brother Prince William to help advance the conversations around mental health.

“All health is interconnected — our mental health, our planet’s health, the health of our communities. We do no survive, and certainly do not thrive without the acknowledgment and understanding that in addressing one problem, we are paradoxically solving another.”


Wednesday’s speech also touched on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s recent royal tour of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Tonga. “In all of these places, it’s been incredibly humbling to see how young people like yourselves are creating innovative and clever solutions to the diverse challenges you face — whether it be better mental health for everyone, eradicating extreme poverty and improving access to education for girls, or highlighting the very real effects and daily battles of climate change,” Prince Harry said.

Prince Harry Talks About Fatherhood in Impassioned Speech