The September 28th Weekly Royal Recap
Prince Harry's whirlwind trip to NYC, Prince William talks environmental protection, Kate makes two appearances, and more in this week's edition of the Weekly Royal Recap!
Happy Saturday!
This week’s royal recap is coming a bit late, it’s been a very busy royal week!
The Weekly Royal Recap arrives in your inbox every Saturday morning, giving a brief rundown of the week’s headlines, so make sure you’re subscribed! At the end of each recap, the your turn section allows readers to voice their thoughts with the potential to be featured in our next edition!
So, let’s get started!
Kate Middleton Makes Two Appearances
On Sunday, September 22nd, The Princess of Wales attended Crathie Kirk Church near Balmoral Castle with other members of the royal family. Although the appearance wasn’t public-facing, pictures show Kate wearing a brown checkered coat and hat with a feather in it, the same one she wore to church service in August. For Kate to wear something two times so close together must mean something deeper, and in a quick search I discovered that to wear a feather in your hat means “an achievement or honor that someone can be proud of” according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Later in the week, Kate made another appearance (although a private one) at the English National Ballet’s matinee performance in London. She even posted about it on social media, writing, “Congratulations and thank you to the English National Ballet and Sadler’s Wells for the wonderfully powerful, moving and inspiring performance of Akram Khan’s Giselle. Creativity at its best! C.”
It was also revealed this week that Kate hosted a planning meeting in regards to her annual Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey. Last year’s Christmas concert focused on her Shaping Us campaign and featured performances from the Westminster Abbey choir, Beverley Knight, Jacob Collier, Freya Ridings, James Bay and Adam Lambert.
Prince Harry in New York City
It’s been a big week for the Duke of Sussex! He traveled solo to NYC for Climate Week and to support several of his charities.
Prince Harry Attends a Dinner Hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO)
Harry attended a dinner organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) with a focus on violence against children and its impact on mental health. It was a high-profile event with officials from various countries, actor Forest Whitaker and Queen Mathilde of Belgium also in attendance.
Prince Harry Attends the Concordia Summit
Prince Harry also made an appearance at the Concordia Summit, representing The Diana Award, an award honoring young people for their humanitarian work. The summit brings together public and private sector leaders to address challenges in global affairs. Mental health was a focus of the Duke’s discussion with Christina Williams of Jamaica and Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang Indonesia, who shared their struggles with mental health and the importance of uplifting youth.
“The younger generation gives me hope. Every single one of us need courage to move the dial and create positive change… Now we need to listen and act on the advice and vision that young people have.” – Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Prince Harry Celebrates Angola’s Landmine Clearance Progress
Prince Harry celebrated Angola’s progress in landmine clearance and conservation at The HALO Trust while in New York City. He spoke at the event on the importance of landmine clearing for future generations, saying, “Africa, and Angola in particular, has an incredibly young population. A demographic wave that surges with energy and optimism, holding the promise of a bright future for Angola’s youth. For them, a world without mines must be a moral imperative for all of us.” (Source — sussexroyal.com)
You may remember when, in 1997, when his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, walked through an active minefield in Angola. Since then, the nation has made significant progress in removing landmines, a feat worthy of celebration.
Prince Harry Attends Event Hosted by African Parks
In an exclusive event hosted by African Parks, a non-profit conservation organization, Prince Harry shared a story of his time translocating elephants in Malawi in 2016. The experience helped him to better understand the importance of conversation and fueled a commitment to conserving the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Africa. The event signaled a collective need to back organizations fighting to conserve Africa’s rich biodiversity, ensuring its health for generations to come.
The Clinton Global Initiative
At the Clinton Global Initiative, Prince Harry made a speech on the dangers of the digital world. He reflects on society’s technological achievements thus far but doesn’t shy away from discussing the harm social media has on the youth of today. In his speech, he highlights the rising mental health crisis and the need for safer digital spaces.
He also promoted the Parents’ Network, a support group of parents whose children have been negatively impacted by social media. He says, “As a growing movement, The Parents’ Network is committed to this journey. We need platforms that mirror our highest values, designed with safety in mind. But in the meantime, we can’t wait. Our kids can’t wait. We need to create programs that teach digital literacy, emotional intelligence and critical thinking. We need to equip our youth with the skills they need to identify and combat online threats. We need a better digital future—one that we deserve.” He then urges listeners to take action, “This is an invitation to each and every one of you to open your eyes, ears and hearts to these realities and to channel our power, resources and intelligence toward meaningful action.” (Source — sussexroyal.com)
The topic of mental health has been one of the core three focuses of Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation.
Prince Harry Discusses Protecting Women and Children in Lesotho
In a side event of the United Nations General Assembly, Prince Harry joined Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso to discuss protecting women and children in Lesotho.
“We know that together we can build a better future. We know education and childhood development are the foundations of national peace and prosperity. Investing in these areas is critical if we are to break our generational cycles, not just in Lesotho but around the world.” – Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Prince Harry Celebrates Five Years of Travalyst
Prince Harry celebrated the five-year anniversary of Travalyst, an initiative to make travel more sustainable. He highlighted the importance of minimizing negative environmental impacts and the need for sustainable tourism practices. The panel focused on sustainable travel, with Prince Harry reaffirming his commitment to making travel a positive force for both people and the planet.
“I’ve seen firsthand how travel and tourism can be a double-edged sword, both a force that has the potential to do tremendous good, or if mismanaged, inflict significant harm. These experiences, as well as years of conversation and debate around campfires with experts that I’m proud to call friends, have shaped my understanding of the critical bond between people, wildlife, and the environment we share.” — Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex
Prince Harry Visits Jimmy Fallon’s Tonightmares
While in New York City, Prince Harry stopped by Jimmy Fallon’s new haunted maze, Tonightmares.
You can watch Harry’s experience with the immersive haunted walkthrough below:
Prince William Urges Environmental Protection
In a video message played at a Campaign for Nature event at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Prince William urged viewers to prioritize environmental protection, "If we are to keep this planet liveable for our children and grandchildren, we must act urgently," says William.
Prince William also announced the 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Awards in Cape Town, South Africa. In November, five winners will be revealed, receiving £1m each.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Recent Engagements
Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh attended an opening ceremony for a winery co-run by Taittinger, a global champagne firm.
She also visited an animal sanctuary in Surrey, cuddling chickens and feeding horses! The visit was accompanied by a Young Onset Dementia group.
Earlier that day, she visited the Hale Community and Youth Centre in Farnham. She met with schoolchildren and learned more about what the center is doing for people of all ages.
Your Turn
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