Prince Harry and Prince William Avoid a Joint Appearance With Separate Diana Award Tributes

The royal brothers remembered their late mother while supporting the charity's 25th anniversary.

Prince William and Prince Harry both hold black umbrellas in the rain while wearing suit jackets and white shirts without ties
(Image credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth- WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Prince William and Prince Harry are both paying tribute to their late mother, Princess Diana. However, the royal brothers are sharing separate messages in honor of their mom and the winners of this year's Diana Award.

Both of Princess Diana's sons continue to show their support for the charity The Diana Award, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024. But the pair have, once again, managed to avoid a joint appearance, despite both supporting the same organization.

In a letter to this year's recipients, Prince William wrote (via People), "I am so proud of the impact every one of you has had on your communities and beyond." He continued, "You are driven by kindness and compassion, and through this you are all changing the world for the better."

William also alluded to the difficulties many people are facing right now, writing, "At times, the world can feel an uncertain and unfamiliar place, and I know many of you have had to work hard to overcome barriers to make positive change. Despite this, I am heartened to see what inspirational young people like you can achieve."

Discussing his late mother, William said, "I know my mother, in whose memory you receive the Diana Award today, would be immensely proud of you. I hope this award helps you to further champion your cause and support those around you."

Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Prince William laughing on a log flume

Princess Diana laughs after riding on a log flume with Prince Harry and Prince William.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince Harry is set to share his own special message with the 200 young people, who come from 45 countries, benefiting from this year's Diana Award. The Duke of Sussex will deliver his message virtually at the Dec. 5 ceremony, which will stream live on YouTube from 10 a.m. EST.

According to The Sun, Prince Harry said in his virtual speech, "My mother's belief in the power of young people to drive positive change continues to inspire me." He continued, "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."

Princess Diana wears a blue suit jacket while posing with young sons Prince Harry and Prince William who wear gray suits during a visit to Eton school

Princess Diana visits Eton College with Prince Harry and Prince William.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Tom Wargacki/WireImage)

Back in September, Prince Harry celebrated the 25th anniversary of The Diana Award by speaking on a panel at the Concordia Global Summit in New York.

"I know my mom would be incredibly proud of you guys," he told Christina Williams of Jamaica and Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang from Indonesia, both recipients of the charity's Legacy Award. "Your activism and passion, those two things are so true to how my mom led her life and what she believed in," he said.

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing 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.