Prince Harry gets emotional meeting WellChild Award winners, shares details of his family life

Prince Harry was overcome with emotion as he met the WellChild Award winners and opened up about his own children.

Prince Harry has honoured his promise to meet with seriously ill children, via video call from his home in California to their homes in the UK.

In a touching post on the WellChild Instagram account, the Duke of Sussex can be seen chatting to the winners — and their parents — of this year’s WellChild Awards, including listening to “knock knock” jokes from the kids.

In longer video obtained by Hello! magazine, Prince Harry can be seen sharing details about family life in the US with his children and dogs, and apologising for not being able to meet each winner personally.

Prince Harry on a video call with a WellChild Award winner. Picture: Screen grab Instagram/WellChild

He appears to get emotional when he is told his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, would have been proud of him.

The Sussexes were due to attend this year’s WellChild ceremony on September 8, but were unable to attend because Prince Harry had to travel to Scotland as the Queen’s state of health declined.

WellChild is the UK charity that supports children and young people with severe health needs to be cared for at home instead of hospital.

Prince Harry on a video call with a WellChild Award winner and his parents. Picture: Instagram/WellChild

WellChild winners included Henry Waines, four, and his parents Ben and Shevonne.

When he was told that Henry had been named after him, the Duke replied: “My name is Henry. Well everyone calls me Harry. I have no idea why”.

Henry chatted excitedly to Prince Harry, causing him to comment: “You sound just like my son Archie, really. The same little squeaky voice. I love it.”

Henry asked him: “How are Archie and Lilibet doing?”

“They’re doing great … Archie is very, very busy. And Lily is learning to use her voice, which is great,” said Prince Harry.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with Archie and Lilibet in their 2021 Christmas Card. Picture: Alexi Lubomirski/Handout/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

Elsewhere in the video the royal, who has been patron of WellChild since 2007, used a little bit of sign language to speak to 10-year-old Shakeerah Crowther, who suffered from a rare bacterial brain infection acquired during treatment for a brain tumour

“How are you? Nice to meet you,” Prince Harry signed.

Signing as her mum Yasmeen interpreted for her, Shakeerah told him: “My name’s Shakeerah, thank you for giving me this award. You are amazing.”

Prince Harry was visibly moved as she added: “I’m sorry about your grandmother the Queen.”

He also asked about a helium balloon shaped like a giraffe in the background.

“How long have you had that giraffe for? Because Archie’s got a giraffe as well and it’s lasted a very long time. And we call him Gerald.”

Prince Harry, left, meets Steve Brookes, a serviceman with a spinal injury and his dog Major, in 2010. Harry recently shared he has three dogs, who offer him emotional support. Picture: AP

Prince Harry also spoke with Isabelle Delaney, 13, winner of an Inspiration Young Person award, and he remarked upon her assistance dog, a Labradoodle called Hope.

“We all need a dog that keeps us calm. I’ve got three in this house now, so we basically have five children. But I’ve got a black Labrador called Pula, a rescue beagle called Guy, and we got another rescue beagle called Mia. And between the three of them, they charge around chasing squirrels and causing all sorts of problems to us every single day. But they are also emotional support dogs, 100 per cent, when they’re behaving.”

The Duke of Sussex speaking during the WellChild Awards 2021 at a private garden party at Kew Gardens, in London. He did not attend this year but met the winners via video call. Picture: Antony Thompson/TWM/WellChild/PA/AAP

Prince Harry also congratulated seven-year-old Tony Hudgell, who was abused as an infant and almost didn’t survive but now has adoptive parents, Paula and Mark.

“You seem like a bit of a superhero. Where’s your cape?” he asked.

Tony replied: “I do have a cape in my room. I don’t wear it a lot.”

“Only on weekends,” laughed Prince Harry.

When Harry Byrne, eight, joined the call with mum Sophie and the Duke told him: “You’ve got the coolest name in the house”.

Byrne helped care for his little brother Reuben who passed away last Christmas, and raised money for the hospices that cared for him.

The Duke said: “Keep doing those missions, Harry. That is exactly what everyone needs. Everyone needs a purpose. Everyone needs a mission. Everyone needs meaning. You at your young age seem to already know exactly what your purpose is. So keep doing that. Keep bringing joy and happiness to people’s lives”.

Diana, Princess of Wales, was known for her philanthropic work with ill children, which Prince Harry is taking on as well. Picture: AP

But it was Evelyn Rodger, a Diana Children’s Nurse with Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, who told Prince Harry that her role had been sponsored “from your mum’s memorial fund,” adding: “I think your mum would be very proud of what that money has achieved. And I also think as a mum she’d be very proud of you, Harry.”

“That’s very sweet, thank you,” Prince Harry replied, visibly moved.

Speaking to all the winners together, the Duke said: “I just want to say an enormous thank you to every single one of you, not just for giving your time this evening, but also just for being the most incredible human beings that we know of.

“Every single one of you, what you’re doing is incredible. You are inspiring people up and down the country and around the world.”

Originally published as Prince Harry gets emotional meeting WellChild Award winners, shares details of his family life