Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex received a prestigious prize at the 2022 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards on Saturday night.
During the ceremony held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California, the royal couple took to the stage to accept the organisation's President's Award in recognition of their commitment to public service via their Archewell Foundation.
"It's inspiring to think about the legacy surrounding the Image Awards, which began shortly after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed into law. Today, we can continue that legacy by re-establishing federal voting protections in our country and fulfilling the work of civil rights giants, like the late John Lewis. We are so deeply humbled to be here in the company of so many illustrious awardees," said Meghan.
Before continuing the speech, Harry took a moment to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, after Russian leaders launched a large-scale invasion of the nation last week.
"Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community," he continued. "I also echo the immense gratitude for tonight, both for this award and to this community for welcoming me so warmly. I think it's safe to say that I come from a very different background than my incredible wife, yet our lives were brought together for a reason. We share a commitment to a life of service, a responsibility to confront injustice and a belief that the most often overlooked are the most important to listen to."
To conclude, Meghan reflected on their commitment to developing the Archewell Foundation, particularly in response to the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.
"I couldn't be prouder that we're doing this work together," she added. "We moved to California, my home state, shortly before the murder of George Floyd. For Black America, those nine minutes and 29 seconds transcended time, invoking centuries of our unhealed wounds. In the months that followed, as my husband and I spoke with the civil rights community, we committed ourselves and our organisation, Archewell, to illuminating those who are advancing racial justice and progress."
