Prince Harry hailed the ‘little legends’ at the WellChild awards in London this evening after sharing a laugh with a brave six-year-old winner during a rare trip to the UK without Meghan.
The Duke of Sussex met little Noah Nicholson – who has cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease – during the event to honour ill children, teenagers and their parents who have been recognised by the charity WellChild.
Noah, who lives life to the full despite his health struggles, delighted in throwing his soft toys George and Ratty on the floor and watching Harry pick them up.
When Noah’s mother Tracey Nicholson apologised on behalf of her son, Harry, who is WellChild’s patron, said: ‘Don’t apologise, I love it.’
Ms Nicholsonsaid afterwards: ‘He’s in constant pain but is always happy and smiley. He’s just a very excitable boy and when he’s around people he just loves it. Nothing ever gets him down, he never cries unless the pain gets the better of him.’
The Duke of Sussex was at a central London hotel just two miles from Buckingham Palace and less than an hour’s drive from Windsor, where Prince William lives with his family.
He was asked by some of the children whether he had a passport, and was given gifts for his two children Archie and Lilibet to take back to the US.
He told one winner at the hotel: ‘My award is being here with you guys.’
Harry seen chatting to six-year-old Noah Nicholson, who has complex medical needs, and his mother Tracy
Noah Nicholson (pictured) attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 with his mother at the Royal Lancaster Hotel today
Noah, who lives life to the full despite his health struggles, has cerebral palsy and chronic lung disease
Prince Harry is in London for WellChild today – but is not expected to see his family in the UK
Prince Harry leaves the Royal Lancaster hotel in central London after the event
Jude Allen, 14, meets Prince Harry at the WellChild Awards 2024
Scarlett, 10, meets Prince Harry as the Duke of Sussex attends the WellChild Awards 2024
Lewis Connett, 11, meets Prince Harry at the event on Monday
George Shippey, aged 16, meets Prince Harry as the Duke of Sussex attends the WellChild Awards
Harry told the young people and their families: ‘Thank you for your courage, your perseverance, your kindness and of course your humour. And thank you for being you and uplifting all those around you.
‘The WellChild Awards is an event that never fails to inspire me.
‘The stories of young people who battle against the odds, living lives filled with medical procedures, hospital stays and endless appointments, remind us all of the strength of the human spirit.
‘For many of us it is a daily life we can hardly imagine, and yet somehow, the young people I meet are always smiling and every room they walk into seemingly lights up with warmth and positivity.’
Harry spoke about his role as a father in his speech: ‘As a parent, I know a little about the emotional rollercoaster of parenting.
‘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.’
Harry also met both Beverley Knight and Oti Mabuse in the VIP room after the awards, both of whom were celebrity guests at the event.
Earlier in the day, Harry could be seen conversing with inspiring children bravely battling illness, including a child named George, who has a passion for powerchair football and disability inclusion in sports.
He also spoke with an award winning woman who helps care for her older brother Edward and is a huge support to her mother.
The Duke has flown in to the UK after a week away from his family carrying out a number of pseudo-royal engagements in New York.
He was whisked into the WellChild awards ceremony in London this afternoon. It is one of the few UK-based events he supports in person post-Megxit. The bash celebrates the achievements and resilience of seriously ill children and their families.
Harry, who has been patron of the charity for the past 15 years, has no plans to see his father Charles, 75, or his brother the Prince of Wales, 42, according to People.
When he was in the UK for a church service to mark 10 years of the Invictus Games, he also swerved his relatives then, and after attending Lord Robert Fellowes’ funeral in Norfolk on September 3 he apparently stayed with his mother’s brother, Earl Spencer.
William is believed to be in Windsor with his family as the Princess of Wales continues to recover from cancer. King Charles is in Scotland, at Balmoral.
Harry and his bodyguard arrive at the Royal Lancaster Hotel this afternoon
The Duke of Sussex was all smiles on a visit to the city he called home
Prince Harry chatting with Beverly Knight and Oti Mabuse in the VIP room after the Wellchild awards
Harry was chatting as he walked into the 5-star hotel for the charity event
He was whisked into the WellChild awards ceremony in London this afternoon
Harry was greeted on the purple carpet at the event, which is close to his heart
Harry swept into London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel to meet children, teenagers and their parents who will be recognised with awards from the charity WellChild
The Duke of Sussex is seen 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
The King is believed to be spending time at his Balmoral home and it is believed he has not seen Harry since the duke rushed to his father’s side after Charles’s cancer diagnosis was announced in February.
Harry swept into London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel to meet children, teenagers and their parents who will be recognised with awards from the charity WellChild.
The duke looked relaxed as he began one of only a handful of events he now stages in the UK, following his move to America with his family.
As WellChild’s patron for more than 15 years, Harry has regularly attended the awards ceremony staged by the organisation, the national charity for seriously ill children and their families.
WellChild chief executive Matt James said Harry’s involvement with the charity was ‘huge for us’.
He added: ‘It does two things, it allows us to give our inspiring winners a night they will never forget, a night that will always stay with them.
‘But also, it provides us with a platform to tell their stories which is really important for a group of families whose challenges often go unrecognised and misunderstood.’
The 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.
In past years Harry has been joined by wife Meghan but travelled alone to London from their home in the celebrity enclave of Montecito in California where the couple established a new life for themselves and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
Myleene Klass, broadcaster and presenter, arrives to attend the WellChild Awards ceremony in London
Oti Mabuse attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 in an elegant white dress
Helen Glover arrives for the annual WellChild Awards 2024 in a stunning brown dress
Charlotte Hawkins attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 in a stunning pink gown
Kate Garraway attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel
The presenter wore a light blue suit paired with a roll neck and gold heeled boots on the purple carpet
Rosie Nixon attends the Wellchild Awards 2024 in a sequined gown
British rower Helen Glover was also in attendance for the Wellchild Awards today
Olympian freestyle swimmer Tom Dean pictured on the purple carpet at the Wellchild awards
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (second right) smiles as he poses with dignitaries at the Wellchild Awards 2024 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel
The Duke of Sussex was all smiles for a rare royal event in the UK – honouring the achievements of youngsters battling serious conditions.
Anya, aged 12, is one of the children attending the Wellchild Awards 2024 at the Royal Lancaster Hotel
Before the event the duke attended a reception to meet the category winners and their families before joining guests for the private awards ceremony
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 hosted by WellChild, the national charity which provides a nationwide network of nurses, home makeover projects and family support programmes.
Before the event the duke attended a reception to meet the category winners and their families before joining guests for the private awards ceremony.
He will present the Most Inspirational Child (aged four to six) prize and deliver a short speech.
Last week in New York Harry showed off his language skills by speaking Sesotho, while revealing how climate change leaves him ‘terrified’ for his children Archie and Lilibet.
He also branded tourism a ‘double-edged sword’ which can harm communities as he continued his recent blitz of solo appearances while wife Meghan remained at home.
The Duke of Sussex spoke of his concerns about the potential harmful impact of both climate change and social media on youngsters including Archie, five, 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 HQ, Harry told how his charity Sentebale’s name came from the country’s Sesotho language – meaning ‘Forget me not’.
He had begun by saying in English, ‘Your Majesty, ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and friends’ – and then repeating the greeting in Sesotho: ‘Morena, basali le bahlomphehi, baeti ba hlomphehang le metsoalle.’
He recalled first visiting Lesotho during a gap year in 2024 between leaving Eton and starting at Sandhurst military academy, as he spoke alongside fellow delegates including the country’s King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso.
There have been questions over whether Prince Harry (left) would catch up with his father King Charles (centre) or brother Prince William (right) while in the UK – they are seen here together outside Lancaster House in central London in February 2014
This UK visit is Harry’s latest trip without his wife Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who is at their home in Montecito, California – she is pictured here in March 2024 in Austin, Texas
Harry, 40, said: ‘The Lesotho royal family, as well as Lesotho itself, has been a pillar of strength for me over the last 20 years, welcoming me with open arms and such kindness.
‘The beautiful mountain kingdom feels like a home away from home.
‘That friendship has only grown stronger as we’ve worked together to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing the Lesotho people and the wider world.’
Harry told of helping to set up Sentebale two years after his first visit, adding: ‘The charity was founded in honour of our mothers and symbolises our pledge to always remember and advocate for the most vulnerable among us.
‘Our mission at Sentebale is simple yet incredibly important – to help vulnerable children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana to access vital health services, receive care and support, and develop the life skills necessary to thrive.
‘By focusing on the youth we’re breaking generational cycles of trauma and outdated beliefs.’
It has since been revealed the Duke of Sussex will make 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 gathering of business leaders, philanthropists and local stakeholders, aimed at driving forward Sentebale’s work, supporting the digital and economic inclusion of the next generation.
Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso, who co-founded Sentebale with Harry almost 20 years ago, said it would fill the community with ‘joy’ to welcome back Mohale – Harry’s affectionate Sesotho royal name which means ‘warrior’.
And the duke said: ‘As we head towards our 20th anniversary, our ambition has grown, giving us the confidence to bring our skills and experience in designing solutions with young people, and to leveraging our convening power to engage with leading regional players and global funders so we can add Sentebale’s voice to addressing the challenges faced by the next generation in southern Africa.’
Harry was first invited to the country, land-locked inside South Africa, by Seeiso, a friend of the his mentor, ex-Army officer Mark Dyer.
Founded in 2006, Sentebale began working in Leosotho before expanding into Botswana, and operates in four key areas: strengthening the social and emotional wellbeing of those living with or affected by HIV; helping to provide access to health and social services; driving youth advocacy; and building individuals’ skills and livelihoods.
The duke regularly visited the mountainous nation to promote his organisation’s work but last travelled to the capital Maseru in 2018, the year he married Meghan.
He will present the Most Inspirational Child (aged four to six) prize and deliver a short speech
Prince Harry is due in London to present a prize and speak at the WellChild charity awards
Harry and Seeiso will visit Lesotho to showcase Sentebale’s work to new supporters alongside existing donors through American Friends of Sentebale, with the princes also meeting local leaders and youth advocates.
In Johannesburg the group will take part in a reception with South Africa-based stakeholders and strategic partner Lebec, a women-led finance and philanthropy firm, and take part in a panel discussion about philanthropists creating change beyond writing cheques.
Sentebale chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka said: ‘Africa has the largest and fastest-growing youth population, and by 2050, nearly 40 per cent of the world’s youth will reside on the continent, with southern Africa home to a significant portion.
‘Over 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 as we collaborate with world-class organisations and local leadership to engage this critical youth cohort.
‘Together, we aim to accelerate digital and economic inclusion, addressing the low levels of access and literacy, which are crucial for young people’s participation in the global economy and for achieving Sentebale’s goals in health, wealth creation and climate resilience.’
