PRINCE Harry and Meghan have been named Humanitarians of the Year at a glitzy gala in New York.
The Duke and Duchess jetted to the city to accept the gong which recognised their efforts in mental health advocacy.
Prince Harry and Meghan have been named Humanitarians of the Year[/caption]
They attended a glam gala in New York to accept the gong[/caption]
The couple were announced as Project Healthy Minds’ Humanitarians of the Year award on Thursday at a glam awards bash.
The nonprofit’s World Mental Health Day Gala saw the couple feted in a flashy ceremony held at Spring Studios.
Prince Harry and Meghan have close ties to the charity and have collaborated extensively with them in the past.
They were awarded the accolade for their work in building a safer digital world for families and young people as well as their global mental health work.
Alongside Meghan, Prince Harry co-founded The Archewell Foundation in 2020 with a mission to “show up, do good”.
Through the foundation, they established The Parent’s Network in 2023 – a support network for parents and families who have been impacted by “social media harms”.
That year, Harry and Meghan said their two children, Prince Archie, 6 and Princess Lillibet, 4, were the inspiration behind their charity work.
On Saturday, they will also attend the Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival where they previously launched The Parent’s Network.
The Sussexes released a statement ahead of the gala which said: “Working with families and young people to prioritise safety online has been some of the most meaningful work of our lives.
“As parents ourselves, we have been moved to action by the power of their stories and are honoured to support them.
“We’re proud to be long-time partners of Project Healthy Minds as we work together to shine a light on what remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.”
It comes after Meghan made a surprise appearance at a Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week during her solo trip to Europe last week.
But the award comes at an awkward time for Prince Harry after an African country cut ties with a “disrespectful” charity associated with the Duke.
Harry is a board member for African Parks and was the former president of the organisation.
The Sun reported on Tuesday that Chad announced it has axed a mandate held by a non-profit conservation group associated with the Duke of Sussex to manage its wildlife reserves.
They alleged the charity was not active enough in trying to stop poaching, as reported by The Times.
It marks the termination of a 15-year partnership between the charity and government.
Earlier this year, the charity admitted guards at one of the national parks had violated human rights of Indigenous people displaced when the park was made.
It is the latest setback to hit the Duke, after he sensationally walked away from his charity Sentebale in August.
His move came after a damning report accused him of “harming” its reputation.
The Duke of Sussex was slammed by a watchdog for letting a bullying row damage his African youth charity.
But he continues to work tirelessly for his Invictus Games Foundation, and the UK charity WellChild and is working with Halo Trust, 28 years after his mother did the same.
