Prince Harry States His Mother Would be Fighting To End Racism In Video For The Diana Award

Prince Harry has spoken out amid the Black Lives Matter protests and a worldwide call to end racial injustice. In a video for The Diana Award, the royal insisted his mother, the late Princess Diana, would be standing up for “people who need it.”

In the video, the prince said, “I am so incredibly proud to be part of these awards as they honor the legacy of my mother and bring out the very best in people like you. I know that my mother has been an inspiration to many of you and I can assure you, she would have been fighting in your corner. Like many of you, she never took the easy route, or the popular one, or the comfortable one. But she stood for something and she stood up for people who needed it. Right now we are seeing situations around the world where division, isolation and anger are dominating, as pain and trauma come to the surface, but I see the greatest hope in people like you.”

This year’s award named after Princess Diana is honoring six people.

Prince Harry also spoke on behalf of his brother, Prince William, in the video. He said, “You are six young people that my brother and I are proud to specifically recognize tonight. It is your voice that is far more important than mine.”

The prince also spoke about his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and her involvement in the Black Lives Matter movement. “My wife said recently that our generation and the ones before us haven’t done enough to right the wrongs of the past. I too am sorry, sorry that we haven’t got the world to the place that you deserve it to be.”

The prince continued, “Institutional racism has no place in our societies yet it is still endemic. Unconscious bias must be acknowledged without blame to create a better world for all of you. I want you to know that we are committed to being a part of the solution and to being part of the change that you are all leading.”

The video was posted on Instagram with the caption “The Duke of Sussex, on behalf of him and his brother, surprised our changemakers with a congratulatory video message during the #2020DianaAwards. The Duke gave special mention to those Diana Award recipients who have been awarded for their work on issues related to race and injustice. In particular, The Duke highlighted the work of 24-year-old James Frater from London, UK, who is tackling racial inequality by creating initiatives to increase the representation of black students at university. @sussexroyal @kensingtonroyal #ShareTheMicNow #BlackLivesMatter #YoungAndBlack (sic).”