Prince Harry close to tears at Well Child awards as he recalls Meghan’s early pregnancy

‘Speaking to all of you pulls at my heart strings in a way I could have never understood until I had a child of my own’

The Duke of Sussex delivered an emotional speech at an awards ceremony that celebrates children with severe illnesses, explaining that becoming a father has brought new meaning to the event.

On Tuesday evening, Prince Harry spoke at the WellChild Awards and explained how the event never fails to “inspire” him.

“My wife and I feel incredibly privileged to be able to join you once again at this year’s WellChild Awards, and to be in a room with such amazing human beings,” the 35-year-old royal began.

“It has been over a decade since I first came to these Awards and every year they never fail to surprise and inspire me.

“Yet this year, it resonates in a different way, because now I’m a father.”

Prince Harry recalled how, when he and the Duchess of Sussex attended the ceremony last year, Meghan was pregnant but the couple had not yet shared the news with the world.

“Last year when my wife and I attended we knew we were expecting our first child," he said. "No one else did at the time, but we did – and I remember…”

The royal trailed off as he appeared to fight back tears when the event's host, TV presenter Gaby Roslin, stepped forward to comfort him.

"Sorry," Harry said, laughing. He continued: “I remember squeezing Meghan’s hand so tight during the awards, both of us thinking what it would be like to be parents one day, and more so, what it would be like to do everything we could to protect and help our child should they be born with immediate challenges or become unwell over time.

“And now, as parents, being here and speaking to all of you pulls at my heart strings in a way I could have never understood until I had a child of my own.”

The royal went on to explain that no parent wants to see their child suffer from a severe illness.

"And yet, after meeting all of the WellChild parents and the kids themselves over the years, you’ve managed to give all of us a sense of optimism, a sense of hope and strength that no professional, no bestselling book and no amount of advice can ever give any of us," he said.

"So thank you for being you.”