Prince Harry Says the Birth of Princess Lilibet Changed Him

Prince Harry smiles while wearing a suit and tie onstage during an appearance at the Concordia Summit in New York on Monday, September 23, 2024

(Image credit: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

published 24 September 2024

Prince Harry embarked on a solo trip to New York this week to attend several important events. As well as supporting a number of charitable organizations, the Prince made a personal admission about becoming a father for a second time following the birth of Princess Lilibet.

On September 23, Prince Harry spoke at a special reception for The HALO Trust. His late mother, Princess Diana, famously worked with the humanitarian organization, which is dedicated to clearing landmines and explosive devices from around the world. In 2019, Prince Harry retraced Princess Diana's footsteps during a visit to a mine field in Dirico, Angola.

"Much has changed in my life and the world since 2019 when I first visited Huambo," Harry told the audience. "In those five years I’ve become a father for the second time."

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He continued, "And while you don't need children to have a stake in the future of our planet, I do know that my mother would have been horrified that anyone’s children or grandchildren would live in a world still infested with mines."

Prince Harry holds a microphone and wearing a suit while speaking at the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit in New York on September 23, 2024 — Prince Harry at the 2024 Concordia Annual Summit in New York on September 23, 2024.

U.S. Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware paid tribute to Duke of Sussex's charitable work at the event.

"Prince Harry, thank you for your leadership, for your heart, for your vision, for sustaining the legacy of your mother and for inspiring a whole new generation around the world to be engaged in this critical work against the scourge of land mines," Coons said.

Harry's solo trip to New York also proved what a doting father he is to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. As reported by People, Prince Harry FaceTimed his wife Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, from backstage before speaking at an event.

Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang, one of the recipients of The Diana Legacy Award, discussed the adorable moment, which they witnessed.

"And backstage, he was actually calling Meghan," Zhang told People. "I thought that was just so sweet, and it helped humanize him." They continued, "He is just so kind-hearted."

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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.