Last night saw The Duke of Sussex undertake his last engagement before taking a break from royal duties with his family for the rest of the year. Prince Harry was at the inaugural Onside Awards at Royal Albert Hall, which recognise young people, and volunteer achievements.
Dressed casually in a white shirt and blue/grey blazer, with taupe boots, The Duke of Sussex was in his element mingling with young people who had made a difference.
OnSide Youth Zones is a national charity which has 13 centres spread throughout the UK comprising of 50,000 members. The Youth Zones are based in disadvantaged areas and are open to youngsters aged 8-19 years old, or people aged 25 with a disability.
At the event, Harry met young Youth Zone attendees and award nominees, then delivered a short speech before presenting the OnSide Health and Wellbeing Award.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
“Sometimes a lack of mental fitness can be the biggest blocker to our own ability to succeed.” The Duke seemed to mirror his wife’s sentiments in their revealing documentary from last month. “By understanding our own mental health, and by knowing what makes us thrive rather than just survive, we’ll be unlocking incredible potential for young people up and down the country.”
“So, for everyone involved in making this happen, thank you.”
Prince Harry praised young Greta Thunberg at the OnSide awards (Royal Family)
He even praised young environmentalist, Greta Thunberg: “OnSide is an organisation that’s still young, but as everybody here knows, you should never underestimate the power and influence of youth.
“When Greta started her climate change protest she was just 15 years old—one voice, with just one placard, sitting on her own outside the Swedish parliament. Many people – actually, I should say, many adults – dismissed her. Yet today, millions upon millions of young people have joined her fight.
It was great to see the Duke of Sussex speaking so passionately on stage at the #OnSideAwards event @OnSideYZ
Prince Harry had a lot of praise for climate activist @GretaThunberg saying: "Every family needs their own Greta!" pic.twitter.com/NWhrL50Obf
— The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) November 18, 2019
“She may have been just one person at the beginning, but she had a belief, a mission, and a desire to do something not just for herself but for everyone, and now—the whole world is paying attention.
“Whatever your dream—every country, every community, every school, every friendship group, every family needs their own Greta—someone who can lead the way, someone who is prepared to stand up for what they believe, and show how much they care for the people in their lives and the community around them.”
The Duke of Sussex gave the prize to Strong Sisters, a group of girls from Blackburn who have spent the past year researching and celebrating the rich and diverse heritage of local women to inspire other youth. This includes the Suffragette movement.
