Prince William and Prince Harry Send Separate Messages to Diana Award Winners as Charity Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The long-running rift between Prince William and Prince Harry continues, but it hasn’t stopped them from separately sending heartfelt congratulations to the 2024 Diana Award winners, marking a significant milestone for the charity. This year, the Diana Award celebrates 25 years of honoring young people who are making a difference in their communities and beyond, a cause close to both princes' hearts, though they continue to work apart.

Prince William’s Words of Praise

On Wednesday, the Prince of Wales shared a personal letter with the award recipients, praising their "extraordinary" acts of kindness and compassion. In his message, William reflected on how the world can often feel like an "uncertain and unfamiliar place," but highlighted how these young people have worked hard to overcome barriers and bring about positive change.

The letter, penned on Kensington Palace stationery, ended with a message of inspiration: "I hope this award helps you to further champion your cause and support those around you. Thank you for your dedication. You are all extraordinary."

William also took a moment to acknowledge how impressive it is that these young people continue to drive change despite the challenges they face, noting how his late mother, Princess Diana, would have been proud of them.

Prince Harry's Video Message

Meanwhile, Prince Harry recorded a video message that will be played during the virtual Diana Award ceremony on Thursday. Unlike William, Harry chose to deliver his message from a personal perspective, speaking about how his mother’s belief in the power of young people continues to inspire him. His message touched on current global challenges, including climate change, mental health, and systemic injustices.

"My mother's belief in the power of young people to drive positive change continues to inspire me," Harry said. "No matter the challenges we face, whether it's climate change, mental health or systemic injustices, her legacy and the efforts of young people to inspire further action in the world fill me with hope."

Harry also made sure to celebrate the young leaders being honored. He praised their ability to make a difference and said that even though the world’s problems may seem daunting, their collective efforts are a powerful reminder that "we all have the potential to contribute to a fairer world."

The video, filmed in September, features Harry in conversation with two young awardees, Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang, 18, from Indonesia, and Christina Williams, 27, from Jamaica. The Duke of Sussex commended their "incredible achievements" and emphasized that their contributions demonstrate that "no one is ever a conduit for change alone."

A Historic Year for the Diana Award

This year’s Diana Award ceremony, which recognizes 200 young people from 45 countries, is especially notable as it celebrates the charity’s 25th anniversary. According to Tessy Ojo, CEO of the Diana Award, the 2024 group of recipients represents the most competitive year yet, with a record number of nominations. These young people have demonstrated incredible resilience and a commitment to creating positive change, just as Diana, Princess of Wales, had always believed in the power of young people to transform the world.

As the charity celebrates its 25-year milestone, both princes' messages serve as a reminder that, despite their differences, they both continue to support the legacy of their mother, whose spirit lives on through the young change-makers being honored today.