Prince William praised his mother the late Princess Diana at an event in London on Thursday, saying she taught him that everyone “has the potential to give something back.”
The event, marking the 25th anniversary of The Diana Awards, was also slated to include virtual remarks by Prince Harry, William’s brother, making it one of the few occasions both princes have taken part in since Harry quit royal duties.
In his speech, William told the audience that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, have sought to focus on Diana’s legacy through their work.
“I know that she would have been honored to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe,” the Prince of Wales said, according to a statement by Kensington Palace.
“She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back, that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life,” he said, adding, “I am so proud to see this belief of my mother’s manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.”
A video message from his brother Harry, the Duke of Sussex, was also expected to be broadcast – but after William left the event, PA Media reported, citing local press.
The pair are not expected to collaborate on any part of proceedings.
William’s appearance meanwhile comes amid frenzied speculation about the status and wellbeing of Catherine, Princess of Wales, which intensified after Kensington Palace released a family photo featuring her that was later revealed to have been digitally altered.
Kate has not been seen in public for months following an abdominal operation at a London hospital that the palace said was planned, but which necessitated her diary to be cleared of upcoming events due to a lengthy recovery period.
The palace might have hoped that Sunday’s photo, released to mark Mother’s Day, would quell the increasingly widespread confusion and concern about the princess. But it instead caused a firestorm of controversy after international photo agencies withdrew it, expressing concern it had been digitally manipulated.
Kate took responsibility, apologizing for what she said was an “experiment” with photo editing. But her brief statement did not explain why and how she had edited the image, and no new pictures of the princess have been issued since.
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The Diana Legacy Awards are held every other year, and recognize young leaders in the name of William and Harry’s late mother, Diana.
They were established two years after Diana’s death in a 1997 car crash in Paris.
William is expected to meet the award winners after the event on Thursday. Harry’s reported contribution will be made virtually; the duke lives in the United States, following his split from the working royals in 2020 alongside his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Since then, the brothers’ relationship has become increasingly frosty. Harry wrote in his memoir “Spare” that William attacked him during an argument, and called his elder brother “difficult,” “rude” and “abrasive.”
They have appeared together at royal events marking the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III, and on occasion at events related to Diana’s legacy, but have otherwise rarely crossed paths in public.