Harry in his element
My observations after meeting the Prince on his UK return
Hi everyone, it’s Emily here with my weekly newsletter.
I was inside the annual Wellchild Awards earlier this week, as the Duke of Sussex spent around an hour meeting the young winners and their families before joining them for the ceremony and making a moving speech on stage.
I’ve been covering this very special event for many years now and it never fails to inspire because of the bravery and resilience of the children and young people being honoured.
Needless to say, there is a lot of interest in Prince Harry’s attendance each year, especially since his departure from royal life.
But to see him in action this week, you’d be forgiven for thinking nothing had changed.
As he sat joking and playing with youngsters in the family room, he was clearly in his element, just as he always is around young children.
He arrived fully briefed, clearly having read up on everyone he was about to meet. (He spent around an hour sitting in his car before entering the hotel, perhaps having a last look at his speech and notes.)
And once inside, he looked happy and relaxed, smiling for photos, saying hello to familiar faces (including me!) and generally doing what he does best, which is to connect with people and shine a light on their achievements and concerns.
This year’s awards were held at the glitzy Royal Lancaster Hotel, which overlooks Hyde Park and is a stone’s throw from Kensington Palace, Prince Harry’s former residence.
And while his base now is in Montecito with Meghan and their children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, he looked very much at home.