The Duke of Sussex has praised the empathy, truth, honesty and fearlessness of the younger generation amid “an apathetic world” as he made his first public appearance since his bombshell interview.
Harry, on his son Prince Archie’s sixth birthday, travelled to Las Vegas for an onstage discussion to launch a new initiative for The Diana Award.
He heralded young leaders for standing up for themselves, just days after speaking out about his relationship with his father, the King.
Harry, at the launch of Pledge To Invest on Tuesday, also described how young people have an openness about mental health “that previous generations struggled to express”.
He told fellow panellists Sikander “Sonny” Khan, from Michigan, US, and Christina Williams, from Jamaica, who are Diana Legacy Award winners: “We’re in an era now where we are looking for more companies to be serving the greater good – the majority, not the minority.
“Every single young person has potential. From a younger generation standpoint, in an apathetic world, there’s more empathy in this generation than I’ve ever seen before…
“It’s the empathy, the authenticity, the truth, the honesty and the fearlessness…
“When they stand up for themselves, and stand up in their communities…
“That is what we need. We need fearless leadership. So I tip my hat to both of you and what you represent.”
Last week, after losing a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements in the UK, the duke gave a sit-down interview in which he said the King will not speak to him and he does not know how much longer his father, who is being treated for cancer, has left.
He expressed hopes of a reconciliation with his family and told the BBC his court defeat was a “good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up” and that he could not see how he could bring his wife and children safely back to the UK.
The Pledge To Invest drive by the Diana Award, the charity set up in memory of Harry and the Prince of Wales’s late mother, aims to encourage businesses to sign up to invest in youth leadership.
Harry said: “Far too many young people are locked out of leadership pipelines because we’ve failed to build truly inclusive and accessible pathways.”
He added: “This generation isn’t waiting for permission to lead – they are already doing it,
“They bring emotional intelligence, social awareness, and an honesty about mental health that previous generations struggled to express.
“What sets them apart isn’t just their boldness, but their refusal to settle for the status quo… If we’re serious about a better future, we need to stop underestimating them and start listening.”
The discussion hosted by AI platform ServiceNow was held as part of the Knowledge 25 event in Las Vegas.
