The Duke of Sussex received a standing ovation after he praised the world’s frontline medical workers at a star-studded concert in Los Angeles.
Prince Harry appeared along with a host of famous names - including Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez and Ben Affleck - at the Global Citizen’s Vax Live: The Concert to Reunite the World, a charity event promoting equitable distribution of coronavirus vaccines worldwide.
It marked Harry’s first public appearance in the US since his late grandfather Prince Philip’s funeral and since he and wife Meghan Markle - who was not at the concert - gave their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March.
Speaking to an animated crowd of only fully vaccinated guests, Harry pleaded for vaccines to be "distributed to everyone everywhere", while also saluting frontline medical workers both at the concert and around the world.
"Tonight is a celebration of each of you here, the vaccinated frontline workers in the audience and the millions of frontline heroes around the world," he said.
"You spent the last year battling courageously and selflessly to protect us all. You served and sacrificed, put yourselves in harm’s way, and acted with bravery, knowing the costs. We owe you an incredible debt of gratitude. Thank you."
Harry and Meghan are Campaign Chairs of Vax Live, which “aims to inspire vaccine confidence worldwide and help get the Covid-19 vaccines to everyone, everywhere” - according to Global Citizen.
The concert, hosted by Selena Gomez, featured musical performances by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Foo Fighters, J Balvin and HER.
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden also made an appearance at the event, with a video message.
Harry and Meghan said in a joint statement before the event: "Over the past year, our world has experienced pain, loss, and struggle - together. Now we need to recover and heal - together.
"We can’t leave anybody behind. We will all benefit, we will all be safer, when everyone, everywhere has equal access to the vaccine.
"We must pursue equitable vaccine distribution, and, in that, restore faith in our common humanity. This mission couldn’t be more critical or important."
