Prince Harry Makes Impassioned Speech at VAX LIVE Concert

Prince Harry earned himself a standing ovation after he delivered an impassioned speech to help deliver COVID vaccines across the globe. Marking his first appearance back in the U.S. since his late grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral, the Duke of Sussex took the stage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California for the star-studded VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World on Sunday. His wife, Meghan Markle, who is pregnant with their second child, did not make an appearance.

Addressing the crowd, Harry began by noting that “we are at a defining moment in the global fight against COVID-19” and said the gala was “a celebration of each of you here, the vaccinated frontline workers in the audience and the millions of frontline heroes around the world.” Harry said the frontline workers in the audience “spent the last year battling courageously and selflessly to protect us all” and “served and sacrificed, put yourselves in harm’s way and with bravery knowing the costs. We owe you an incredible depth of gratitude, thank you.” The duke, who officially retired as a working royal in February 2021, said the gathering was “because this pandemic cannot end unless we act collectively” and “the vaccine must be distributed to everyone everywhere. We cannot rest or truly recover until there is fair distribution to every corner of the world.”

“The virus does not respect borders and access to the vaccine cannot be determined by geography. It must be accepted as a basic right for all and that is our starting point,” he continued. “We must look beyond ourselves with empathy and compassion for those we know, and those we don’t. We need to lift up all of humanity and make sure that no person or community is left behind. What we do in this moment will stand in history and tonight, we stand in solidarity with the millions of families across India who are battling a devastating second wave.”

Harry and Markle, who is expected to appear in Saturday’s broadcast, according to Entertainment Tonight, serve as chair members for the Global Citizen campaign, which “aims to inspire vaccine confidence worldwide and help get the COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, everywhere,” a statement on the website reads. Hosted by Selena Gomez, the VAX LIVE: The Concert to Reunite the World features a star-studded lineup that includes President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jilly Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Ben Affleck, Chrissy Teigen, David Letterman, Gayle King, Jimmy Kimmel, Nomzamo Mbatha, Olivia Munn and Sean Penn.